[Magdalen] End of an Era.

[Cantor03 at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/31/2015 3:37:21 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
jguthrie at pipeline.com writes:

Are they  all viable? i.e. can they handle the cost of compensating clergy 
no
more  than 25% of pledge and plate, and all routine operating expense  and
maintenance at no more than 30-35% of pledge and plate?

Or are  the dominos continuing to fall?>>>>
 
Saint Clement's and Saint John the Evangelist have endowments and
apparently lots of old money.  They are both of the low church  persuasion.
Both have become Eucharistic parishes in the past twenty years, and
have good, partially paid choral forces.
 
Despite the fact that the two churches are only a half a mile apart,
I think they will survive, at least for the foreseeable future.
 
Saint Mary's OTOH, is newer, doesn't have the resources the other two
parishes have, and is probably in trouble.
 
The closing Saint Paul's-on-the-Hill, being ultra high church from  the
onset, and has found its unique Eucharistic orientation become fairly
commonplace.  True, not many other MN parishes have the complete
smells and bells, but when you have the Eucharist nicely celebrated 
with all the good music, that becomes less important.  There  were
people coming to St. Paul's from a hundred miles away.  Not any  more.
 
 
David Strang.