Church Dilemma--What to do?

[elshiva]

The Episcopal Church that my mom and I have went to all my life is a great church. They are liberal, taking the Bible seriously, but not literally. We have a lesbian priest who is very nice. They are helping us out finacially now. It is a beautiful location, too.

The Problem is that it seems to be getting more and more like a country club. Every Sunday we have a board that advertises how many $100,000 dollars we have raised each week. It will soon total $750,000! This difficult to take with all the poverty in the world. Also they are scheduling a wine tasting party with $68 charge per person, which benefits the church, not any charity. A lot of it is money going towards the organ and music, but I would much rather spend it on Episcopal Social Ministries. The politics of the situation is that are very talented organist would probably not stay if we weren't giving him a new organ. Of course, people like my family are being silenced because of the top donors loud voices.

I love this church, but it's getting more and more about money. Also, I can't stand all the gossiping biddies who swarm around me always asking me the same questions over and over.

The other Episcopal church near me is even worse because it has it's own prep school. Very, very snobby and the priest made an infamous statement against homosexual bishops to the Diocese's commitee.

[GreenPartyVoter]

1. You might want to speak up. Not in a critical way but just underscore

that with the blessing of such great sums of money you feel a burning need that some of it should be used to help those in need. And my guess is that you would rather help those people face to face than just cut a check and send it to someone else to do the work, yes?

So ask your pastor and board if there is a way that money can be used by parishioners to do something for those hurting in your neck of the woods. Maybe there are other people who also feel the way you do?

:hug:

[elshiva]

2. Thanks. But we have been voted out a long time ago.

There was a vote before the church renovation. The people who are against spending the money on the church were in the minority. The big wigs basically are running the show as usual.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Then let them know you are thinking of leaving and tell them why. They need to know

that they are not spiritually feeding some people in their church.