As a diocese, what are our weaknesses? What hinders us on our spiritual journey?
Many saw our weaknesses as the opposite side of our strengths. Our diversity can be divisive and factional, and there are times where we’ve let that happen.
The size of the diocese can also be a weakness, as it oftentimes seems too much for one bishop to handle—just the administrative responsibility of 164 parishes can make our bishop seem more like a CEO than a spiritual leader.
The sheer size of the diocese can create a parochial mentality, where parishes seem to see things almost congregationally rather than as a part of a whole. Our sense of the diocese as a strong unit needs to improve.
It is generally agreed that the diocese is underfunded. We think we can do better in our giving to the church. We’re often not as generous as we should be, and to strengthen the diocese we need to “put our money where our mouth is.”
Our past history sometimes reveals too much infighting. Residual wounds, anger, and mistrust are still a weakness. There has been a sense of power groups, and a worry that bishops have played politics and favorites.
Like many dioceses in the Episcopal Church, we’re concerned that we don’t pay enough attention to our children and young people.
Real words: What are our weaknesses as a diocese?
There’s a growing congregationalism in parishes; they’re increasingly challenging the authority of the bishop and the diocese. We all want to do it our own way. We’re reflecting the general “challenge authority” attitude of society.
There are many people spread over a large area, and this causes a lack of center.
There is a perceived—and real?—division between north and south here. The dividing line is Trenton.
More information about the diocese needs to go out. What is a diocese? Why should we care?
We
can use the Internet to help communicate and tie us together. We don’t
do that enough... too much finding out about things after they’ve
happened.
How can we function as a diocese if parishes won’t pay their fair share quota? A real weakness is the inability or unwillingness of some parishes to make a commitment to the diocese.
Money is a big bone of contention: those who have it and those who don’t.
As a lay person I never knew what was going on during the so-called troubles. Communication broke down—we need to improve it.
We can be locked into antiquated modes of operating. There can be a co-opting of commissions and committees by small groups of insiders.
We need to be more aware of the strength that comes from our diversity. Too often it’s seen as a difficulty, a problem.
We’re not engaging youth or bringing them into leadership positions.
Often twenty-year-olds feel they’re the only ones in a gathering. And often, once they’re out of college, they are dumped by the church.
In our history, many of our parishes developed before the diocese. It’s hard to bring 164 of anything together!
Next: What qualities and talents do we want our next bishop to have?