To church this morning in the country town of Barossa a faithful little congregation of twenty odd lead this morning by a part time bus driver/priest, no organist and no music. Priests with two jobs are quite common in Australia because the churches are responsible for paying stipends directly. Many priests negotiate themselves into .5 stipends and do other jobs. One priest I met was on a 1.3, in a rich parish, which I think might mean he doesn’t have any time off!
I am not sure about this local funding of clergy. On the one had, it does focus the minds of priests and people and does create sustainability. On the other it favours the more competent, more middle class area and the idea of mission to the poor goes right out the window unless the church like St Marys has land attached to it which brings an income.
The priest and parish do seem to spend a lot of their time raising the stipend.
I wonder what Deanery Synod would think if I suggested it?
I am not sure about this local funding of clergy. On the one had, it does focus the minds of priests and people and does create sustainability. On the other it favours the more competent, more middle class area and the idea of mission to the poor goes right out the window unless the church like St Marys has land attached to it which brings an income.
The priest and parish do seem to spend a lot of their time raising the stipend.
I wonder what Deanery Synod would think if I suggested it?
No comments:
Post a Comment