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LONDON: Diocesan Evangelicals Set Up Southwark Good Stewards Trust to Counter Liberals
By David W. Virtue in London
www.virtueonline.org
May 1, 2012
Outraged and disappointed that their voices have not been heard by the liberal Bishop of the Diocese of Southwark, The Rt. Rev. Christopher Chessun, Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic leaders of large influential parishes in that diocese have set up a trust to divert monies that could lead, they hope, to a widespread renewal within the diocese.
They complain that the Bishop of Southwark has appointed liberals to the last seven senior vacancies in the diocese, including the Cathedral Dean and Bishop's Chaplain.
The group also fear the effects that this imbalance will cause in terms of homosexuality as the diocese is working more and more with those who seek to alter the church's traditional stance on the issue. Reform member Jonathan Fletcher said he was distraught for the Church of England.
However a source told VOL that if orthodox Anglicans start to use the Trust effectively, it will shake the pillars of the unconverted Establishment and could lead to a wholesale revolt against the increasingly permissive Church of England and establishment.
Because there has been much misrepresentation of the Southwark Good Stewards Trust in the last few days, the Directors of the Southwark Good Stewards Company Limited issued Frequently Asked Questions ahead of the official Trust launch and reception. The Directors hope that the FAQ's may be of interest to members of churches of other Dioceses where there is also widespread concern about revisionism.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does the Trust mean one particular tradition of the church will just be serving themselves?
No. The Trust is open to applications from any Incumbent within the Diocese who can genuinely sign The Jerusalem Declaration (see below).
2. Does joining the Trust mean disassociating from Southwark Diocese?
No. Member churches are still full members of the Diocese. The Trust encourages member churches to pay their full part in Diocesan life (Synods, Chapters, etc). The Trust is simply an alternative mechanism to funding churches within the Diocese. Such churches will still pay their own clergy costs and still pay a contribution towards Diocesan and National Church central costs. Excess monies will be paid into the Trust for distribution.
3. Is a recipient Incumbent required to be a member of a particular Society? (e.g. GAFCON, FiF)
No. The Trust is about preserving and promoting the orthodox Christian faith, not about membership of any particular organization.
4. Does participating in the Trust mean withdrawing from Diocesan structures?
No. Any diocesan quota scheme is a voluntary scheme, not a tax. Trust churches are still part of Diocesan structures. The difference the Trust brings is that it will use donated funds to promote orthodoxy, rather than subsidize revisionism. The Trust hopes that surplus funds will, in time, be used to supporting orthodox ministry of incumbents in churches that would otherwise close, in conversation with the Diocese.
5. Is the Trust "separatist"?
No. The Trust does not involve setting up another denomination. Rather, it is about renewal within the Church of England, and is an internal financial reorganization on conscientious grounds. The Trust seeks to support parish churches of the Diocese which are orthodox, whatever their particular tradition. There is nothing separatist about it. Rather its intention as its name implies, is that members should be 'Good Stewards' of the monies the Lord has given them, and be 'Good Stewards' of the apostolic Gospel which has been entrusted to them, within a particular Diocese, for the sake of the salvation of future generations.
6. Are there other benefits from joining the Trust?
Yes. The Trust is applying to become a Registered Charity. If approved, it will be eligible for Gift Aid. It welcomes income from individual donors (including legacies), charitable trusts and companies, as well as PCC's. A proportion of funds will be available for churches that apply for assistance in promoting evangelistic events and ministry, and the Trust will partner with churches in these endeavours. In time, it is hoped that the Trust may be able to part-fund additional staff at such churches.
Donations are welcomed towards start up costs (legal advice fees; artwork; etc). Cheques should be made payable to "Southwark Good Stewards Company Limited" and be sent to the address below.
To apply for an invitation to the Trust Launch & reception, email southwarkgoodstewardstrust@gmail.com stating name and church position (i.e. incumbent/PCC member). Members of other Dioceses may apply, too.
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