Declining Church attendance, low morale at the Episcopal Church Center and reports of conflict from an increasing number of congregations are evidence of the need to develop and implement a turnaround strategy, according to an interim report released by the Committee on the State of the Church.
 
“Part of the responsibility of the Committee on the State of the Church is to serve as sentinel for The Episcopal Church,” the  report states. “As the prophet Ezekiel explained to the ancient Hebrews, the job of sentinel is to remain alert; and, when there is reason, to signal the people (Ezekiel 33:1-6).”
 
The State of the Church Committee is appointed by the president of the House of Deputies, Bonnie Anderson, and is composed solely of deputies who serve for the current triennium. The committee is required by canon to submit a report to General Convention. Mrs. Anderson suggested that the committee issue the interim report for informational purposes.
 
The three-page report is divided into areas of encouragement and areas of concern. Encouraging signs cited in the report include increased giving per member, increasing benefit contributions to retirees by the Church Pension Fund, the staff reorganization of the Episcopal Church Center, and the planting of seven new campus ministries during the past year.
 
In addition to declining attendance and parish conflict arising from reduced finances and the consecration of the Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003, the report notes the high level of debt incurred by seminarians and dioceses’ failure to support the program budget of General Convention.
 
“The failure of some dioceses to fully support the program of The Episcopal Church at the national level is having a deleterious impact not only upon domestic operations but also upon mission work in overseas dioceses,” the report stated.
 
Episcopal News Service contributed to this report.
 
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