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2009: Four TEC Dioceses That Split Experience Huge ASA and Plate/Pledge Losses
Diocese of North Texas fabricates numbers. Losses huge, actual figures reveal.
By David W. Virtue
www.virtueonline.org
Sept. 30, 2010
Four dioceses that underwent a split in the Episcopal Church have suffered huge losses in Average Sunday Attendance as well as plate and pledge, according to figures released by the National Church.
In 2008, the Diocese of Pittsburgh claimed 19,092 baptized members. In 2009, that figure had dropped to 8,545 a net loss of 10,545 members.
In pledge and plate, the drop was just as significant. In 2008 the Pittsburgh Diocese took in $1,187,000, by 2009 the figure had dropped to $466,200 for a net loss of $720,800.
Average Sunday Attendance in the Pittsburgh diocese in 2008 was 7,193. In 2009, it was 2,664 for a net loss of 4,529.
In the Diocese of Quincy those baptized in TEC in 2008 numbered 1,767. In 2009 that figure was 1,738 a membership loss of 29.
Plate and pledge for the diocese in 2008 was $153,900, in 2009 it was $148,500 a loss of $5,400. Average Sunday attendance however, rose by 7 from 935 in 2008 to 942 in 2009.
In the Diocese of San Joaquin there were 2,220 baptized members in 2008, but those numbers dropped by 110 in 2009 to 2,110.
Plate and pledge, however rose. In 2008 the diocese took in $1,546,000. In 2009, that figure rose to $1,777,000 for a net gain of $231,000.
Average Sunday Attendance rose slightly from 896 in 2008 to 910 in 2009 for a net gain of 14 souls.
The biggest losses in this diocese occurred between 2007 and 2008 when worship attendance fell from 4,500 to approximately 1,000. Plate and pledge fell from $72,000 to $11,000. The decline between 2008 and 2009 was not so dramatic.
In the Diocese of North Texas the losses have been significant. They also appear to be fabricated, according to Ft. Worth Bishop Jack Iker. "Numbers reported to the national church by the staff of Bishop Charles Wallis Ohl were from parishes that report only to this office, not to Ohl's. Their numbers are a fabrication for appearances sake," he told VOL.
"Looking at several of the parish profiles, it appears that, where there is no parochial report, TEC has chosen to assume that figures are steady," said Suzanne Gill, communications director for the Diocese of of Fort Worth.
North Texas is taking as their figures 15,648 Baptized with 5,552 ASA and $10,733,100 from their own graph figures.
If you take out the Diocese of Ft. Worth numbers North Texas has rolled into their statistics, a more realistic figure would be: 13,690; Baptized; 5,528 ASA; with a plate and pledge of $9,990,000.
The figures that TEC is passing off as Diocese of Ft. Worth and claiming as their own are: 8,355 Baptized; 3,843 ASA and a plate and pledge of $7,235,500.
Here is how the actual figures break out:
In the Diocese of North Texas (Ft. Worth) the number of baptized in 2008 was 17,390. In 2009 it was 13,690 for a total membership loss of 3700.
Plate and pledge for the North Texas Diocese was $1,156,000 in 2008 and $999,000 in 2009 for a net loss of $157,000.
Average Sunday Attendance in this diocese fell 1,193 from a high of 6,745 in 2008 to 5,552 in 2009.
According to Suzanne Gill, communications director for the Diocese of Ft. Worth the actual numbers are: 12,776 Baptized; 5,658 ASA; and $9,801,254.37 in plate and pledge.
"When you go through each of the parish graphs you realize that North Texas is claiming 8,285 baptized with 3,767 ASA; and $6,492,400 in plate and pledge which is not theirs to claim," she said.
OVERALL the 2009 national church's statistics reveal that most dioceses dropped by at least 3% with plate and pledge significantly down.
http://www.episcopalchurch.org/109378_107383_ENG_HTM.htm
---Mary Ann Mueller contributed to this story
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North Texas Episcopalians inflate parochial numbers
By Mary Ann Mueller
VOL Correspondent
www.Virtueonline.org
September 30, 2010
The North Texas diocese, masquerading as the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, has hijacked membership numbers, continuing to use figures from congregations that have realigned with the Southern Cone and become ACNA parishes.
After the realignment of the Diocese of Ft. Worth in November 2008, only 21 congregations remained with TEC. The other 34 churches joined the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA).
TEC has recently released figures (bar graphs) indicating what its 2009 parochial reports will contain. While a generalized interpretation of the numbers can be obtained from the graphs, TEC's detailed parochial reports will not be due out till later this month.
Based upon the published figures, North Texas Episcopalians continue to claim Bishop Jack Iker's churches as their own and have forwarded inflated numbers to The Episcopal Church as a "true" indication of the strength of their rump diocese. These swollen numbers are based on the last parochial report files with The Episcopal Church before the Episcopal Diocese of Ft. Worth realigned with the Southern Cone.
According to the North Texas diocesan website, these congregations are considered to be in the "process of reorganization" and have been given "mission" status. In actuality, the membership numbers, ASA and income figures should be zeroed out since these "mission" churches are not North Texas congregations.
It is realistic to expect that if the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth realigned with the Southern Cone in 2008 that there would be a dramatic drop in the membership figures of the remaining rump diocese just as happened in the Diocese of San Joaquin. When Bishop John-David Schofield realigned with the Southern Cone in 2007, there was a 75-plus percent drop in the 2008 membership figures of the remaining TEC diocese. Its membership figures dropped from 10,276 to 2246 and its ASA numbers fell from 3965 to 896.
Realistically, interpreting the recently released 2009 membership graphs from 21 North Texas congregations only, there are 5405 baptized members of which 1685 attend church on Sunday and give $3,497,600 in offerings and tithes. This is a 76 percent drop in 2008 TEC membership figures and a 75 percent drop in the ASA tally.
North Texas is playing with the numbers.
Example: the last parochial report St. Andrews in Fort Worth filed shows that before the realignment in 2006, there were 1659 baptized members with 466 attending on a Sunday giving $1,214,800 in offerings. Yet the 2009 figures indicate that there are 1037 baptized members with 311 attending Sunday services while contributing $1,540,000 to the church.
A total of 26 North Texas "mission congregations" show an increase in income from their last official 2006 filed parochial report.
Example: the last parochial report filed by St. Philip the Apostle in Arlington shows that before the realignment in 2006 there were 187 baptized members with 71 attending on a Sunday giving $44,000 in offerings. Yet the 2009 figures indicated that there are 222 baptized members with 76 attending Sunday services while contributing $74,000 to the church.
A total of 19 North Texas "mission congregations" show an increase in total membership from their last official 2006 filed parochial report.
Example: the last parochial report St. Peter-by-the-Sea in Graford filed shows that before the realignment in 2006 there were 39 baptized members with 22 attending on a Sunday giving $555,000 in offerings. Yet the 2009 figures indicated that there are 25 baptized members with16 attending Sunday services while contributing $74,000 to the church. This shows there are more Sunday worshippers than church members.
A total of four North Texas "mission congregations" show an increase in total membership from their last official 2006 filed parochial report. In addition, four congregations still loyal to TEC show a greater Sunday worship figure than souls listed on their membership rolls. These congregations now have women priests who celebrate at their altars.
"... the strange phenomenon of higher ASA than membership may be due to the fact that a female priest has been installed there," explained Suzanne Gill the director of communications for the Diocese of Ft. Worth. "... and there were several 'special' Sundays when Katie Sherrod and other visitors dropped in to witness her first Eucharist... It's the same 'boost the numbers' strategy we have seen elsewhere in TEC..."
The North Texans try to claim that there are 13,690 baptized Episcopalians in their part of the Lone Star State of which 5,552 attend church on a given Sunday kicking $9,990,000 into the coffers, reflecting a 21.5 percent decrease in membership and a 17.7 percent drop in the ASA.
"Their numbers are a fabrication for appearances sake," Bishop Iker e-mailed VOL. "They are reporting numbers from parishes that report only to this office, not to (Bishop) Ohl's.
By VOL calculations, Episcopalians in North Texas have inflated their parochial reports to the national church by 8,285 baptized members, 3,867 Sunday worshippers, and $6,492,400 in the offering plate.
---Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline
