KELLY BURROWS SAYS ANGLICAN CHURCH IS DYING
Dear. Editor. Today, Sunday 27/11/2016 is the first Sunday in Advent/ Commitment Sunday, that begins a new year in the Anglican Lectionary cycle, launching a new year for us Anglicans.
Here in the Northern Bahamas Archdeaconry comprising all Parishes in Abaco, Bimini & Grand Bahama. An act ofRecommitment service was held this afternoon at 5.00, PM at the Pro Cathedral of Christ the King. The Reverend DeAngelo Bowe a very energetic young man – Rector Parish of St John, St Peter and St Anne, North Abaco, who brought the sermon taking his text from 1 Peter 4: 7.
“The end of all things is near; therefore, be serious and discipline yourselves for the sake of your prayers” his sermon was a dynamic message to the approximately 200 of us who were there. The clergy present could not in my opinion, felt at all proud at the sparse gathering. I would say that there are at least conservatively 2500 Anglicans in. Grand Bahama. Where are the committed ones? Are the Church only there to Hatch, Match, and Dispatch, as far as you’re concerned? When it’s convenient for you?
Is this a sign of protest? Or non-committal to your Church? Is the Anglican Church Dyeing? Or their needs to be a change in the leadership? I have always contended that no clergy should be in a parish more than 10 years, some may find this hard to digest, human nature, being what they are, and we are all guilty, after a long period we feel it’s his/her own personal little fiefdom. Eventually having nothing new to offer you will soon see the decline in membership, people becomes disinterested in the same longstanding same old diatribe, year in year out. My 2 daughters who were christened and confirmed Anglicans, have gone on to the Bahamas Harvest that is growing by leaps and bounds with young Anglicans, what are they doing that we are not, with our rich legacy?
In my 44 years at Christ the King I have never ever seen such a small gathering of Anglicans to a service of commitment, over all, the last several years, less and less people are finding Church interesting why? something is drastically wrong, the Church Leadership needs to go into the byways and highways and bring back the lost find them wherever they are, start a membership drive, our Church is dyeing, where are the young people? The newly confirmed? The discoverers?
Kelly D. Burrows
Freeport Grand Bahama
Telophone 373 7126
P.O.Box F42977