Pastor settles in at Christ Church in Massachusetts

Posted by Kendall Harmon

[Patrick] Gray's arrival at the end of October coincided with a painful split in the church. More than half the congregation broke away to form Christ the Redeemer Anglican Church, in the former St. Alphonsus Catholic church in Beverly.

Its founders left Christ Church over what they called the "moral drift" of the Episcopal Church, where liberals and conservatives have been deeply divided over issues such as the consecration of an openly gay bishop. Some conservatives opted to leave.

Gray said he knew what he was getting into when he took the job, and less than three months after the breakup, he thinks most of his flock is adjusting to the new reality.

"There's always a lament, but I think people are happy here now," he said.

While attendance at the church's three Sunday services used to number about 500, now about 200 of the faithful show up. Gray conceded that's a hit spiritually and financially.

Read it all.

Filed under: * Anglican - Episcopal • Episcopal Church (TEC) • TEC Conflicts • Sexuality Debate (in Anglican Communion) • Same-sex blessings • * Christian Life / Church Life • Parish Ministry

7 Comments
Posted January 28, 2010 at 5:30 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. Jeremy Bonner wrote:

Interesting that Gray’s a Gordon-Conwell alum.

January 28, 7:08 pm | [comment link]
2. episcoanglican wrote:

I’d be interested to hear if these numbers are corroborated. When our church was evicted from our buildings, numbers were always counted wrongly in whichever direction was negative.  In other words, are there really 200 people still worshipping there on Sunday and if so, was the attendance really 500 before the split or was it more?

January 28, 7:41 pm | [comment link]
3. jamesw wrote:

If I recall, this was a friendly division in a conservative congregation.  Some wanted to leave TEC and they did so to form the new Anglican church.  Some felt called to remain in TEC and they did so, continuing as Christ Church.  I believe that the Anglican parish was described as a “church plant” out of Christ Church.  I don’t think that the remaining congregation at Christ Church are liberal.

January 28, 7:58 pm | [comment link]
4. Statmann wrote:

The stats are rather mixed! From 2002 through 2008 Members declined from 1,600 to a bit over 600, ASA remained the same at about 450, while Plate & Pledge increased about 50 percent. The stats for 2009 should be interesting.  Statmann

January 28, 8:56 pm | [comment link]
5. MichaelA wrote:

If the stayers are not liberal then that is a great thing. May the Lord bless both congregations - there are more than enough unchurched people for them both to grow.

When the time comes to draw all orthodox anglicans in the USA (whether from ACNA, TEC or other groups), then TWO flourishing congregations can be re-united!

January 28, 10:12 pm | [comment link]
6. rorymccorkle wrote:

I highly doubt the remaining folks are liberal - the Church of the Advent, where Father Gray came from, is a bastion of Anglo-Catholicism.

January 29, 9:34 am | [comment link]
7. small "c" catholic wrote:

Episcoanglican (#2) There really are around 200 still at Christ Church, and ASA was around 500.
JamesW (#3): you’re correct, though there are some who remained at Christ Church who do not see it as a “church plant.” Both congregations are evangelical.
Statman (#4): The drop from 1600 to 600 had to do with removing inactive members from the rolls.
The “church plant” is Christ the Redeemer Anglican.  http://www.ctr-anglican.org/

January 29, 4:40 pm | [comment link]
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