Episcopalians are concerned about a range of challenges that make them reluctant to endorse the campaign. In their congregations, members are seeing budget stress, rapidly declining and aging membership, deteriorating buildings, and an uncertain world that brings into question the outreach and spirituality that would otherwise be their touchstones. Along with these concerns, many members feel disconnected from the Diocese.

An independent consulting firm interviewed a broad swath of Episcopalians and concluded that the diocese needs to rethink and reconfigure its plans, based on three primary concerns expressed by the majority of interviewees: They are:

Firstly, Vermont Episcopalians today are more committed to, and more worried about, their local churches where budgets, building needs and declining membership are threatening their future.

Secondly, there is not enough agreement about priorities, not enough specificity on spending campaign funds, and not enough certainty that fulfilling these needs could change the future of the Church.

Thirdly, Diocesan assessments are financially stressful, causing crises in their home congregations, and parishioners believe the Diocesan assessment is a burden that requires sacrifice.

For some, the combination of perceived low levels of service and high levels of assessment incorporate to create resentment.

"I suppose it is necessary to support the hierarchy, but I am really only interested in my own church," commented one Vermonter. Other comments relate to wasted time, overstaffing, rigidity and unreasonable expectations.

There is also agreement among many members that there are more Episcopal churches in Vermont than the population can support; however no one seems willing to forfeit their parish in downsizing.

Interviewees stated the plan "does not express the concerns of Episcopalians such as the loss of young members and youth programs, finding inspiring leadership in the clergy, and the erosion of membership." They cited the deterioration of local church properties, budgets in deficit, and the use of endowments for operating costs (including payment for the Diocesan assessment).

"The Diocese is irrelevant for most Vermont Episcopalians and does not affect our lives." A number stated that they do not feel connected to the Diocese. Many indicated it is unclear what services or benefits the Diocese provides.

About half the interviewees said they were involved with congregations other than their own, through committees, mission work, attending when out of state (or country) and with family. There is concern for the lack of communication with other churches and for the splits between and within congregations, particularly due to GLBT (pansexual) issues.

There is recognition by some interviewees that the Diocese is also suffering from financial stress. Although some suggest reducing staff, those who are closest to the Diocese are more aware of challenges and compromises to date. Some interviewees feel the campaign is necessary to "make the Diocese solvent." Some feel the timing is bad and would like to see the Diocesan annual appeal firmly established before launching a capital campaign.

Many interviewees were not comfortable speaking of spirituality, even in an academic or non-personal sense, while others were anxious to share deep feelings and personal experiences, and to urge that opportunities to share spirituality be a larger part of the Diocesan work. This often, but not always, seemed a generational issue. For some, "fresh expressions" was new terminology, they misunderstood or were suspicious of. Some emphasized the need for evangelism. Another group had negative feelings and called it "proselytizing."

Regardless of their feelings about "Spiritual Formation", members wanted more information on how the campaign funds would actually be used to promote or encourage spirituality. There was concern that it was simply a means of hiring staff.

One said, "Sophisticated environmental work and renewable energy are totally irrelevant in a system that does not appear to be surviving for the long term."

There were concerns that Diocesan endowment-raising would take away from local churches, that it would encourage the Diocese to increase its staff and budget, that the endowment could be "invaded" and misused by future generations, and that it could make an organization lazy.

A number of interviewees thought the campaign would not help the Diocese meet today's challenges. A third of the interviewees said the problems of the Church cannot be solved with money. They feel the church needs to focus on humanitarian issues, relevance, and growth of membership including youth; it needs to focus on the spirituality people are seeking today and also deal with unsupportable budgets in a practical way.

Many repeated earlier concerns about the health of the diocese. They include:

* lack of programs and outreach to youth

* looking inward at the Diocese rather than outward to make positive impacts on the world

* the need for dynamic and engaged ministers

* the decline of the Church and of all Protestantism

* finances, debt, invading endowments, struggle with assessments, and unmet needs.

Interviewees want to see the Diocese focus on:

* support to individual congregations and churches (financial and spiritual)

* youth

* more flexibility in liturgy, days and times of services, types of programs and support, locations of programs

* outreach to people who are suffering

* rethinking the role of the Diocese."

The report noted that most of the wealthy Episcopalians in Vermont have died. One said "Now we have old members, but no 'old money'." Mostly, people felt a campaign would be perceived as competition with needy local churches and would be less inspiring than the local needs."

The most powerful, repeated message from clergy was certainly concern for the financial struggles of their own churches and the impact a capital campaign might have on them. Each congregation is challenged in its own way. Any anxiety expressed by the clergy in these meetings clearly sprang from stress in their own churches."

The opinions expressed in the study were deep, wide-ranging and complex. However, in asking the basic question, "Can the Diocese launch a major capital and endowment campaign?", the answer and the rationale are simple. Based on the interviews in this study, a campaign as described in the Case Statement is discouraged.

Of the dioceses 47 parishes, 4 have an ASA of under 10, 9 more have an ASA of 11-20, three more churches have an ASA between 21–30. Eight churches have an ASA between 31-40, five more have an ASA between 41-50. Ten churches have an ASA between 51-99 with only 8 churches over 100 ASA. Of that 8 only one could claim an ASA of 200.

The feasibility study can be seen here: http://www.dioceseofvermont.org/DioConvSpecial%202011/Documents/Feasibility%20Study.pdf