Q&A: Why is St. John’s considering moving?

Updated 12/30/15

Q: Is St. John’s Church closing?
A: We would like to make one thing clear: ST. JOHN’S PARISH IS NOT CLOSING. The Vestry (our governing board) is asking the people of St. John’s to determine whether the congregation can afford to stay in its historic, iconic building at 16 Church Street in downtown Waterbury. One possible outcome is that the voting membership will decide to move to a different, more affordable, location. If and when that happens, the building at 16 Church Street would indeed cease to be a house of worship for the Episcopal Church.

 

Q: Why can’t St. John’s stay where it is?
A: Operating, maintaining, and insuring a large 140-year-old church building like St. John’s is very expensive. The congregation’s financial pledges fall far short of being able to do this. The membership has been shrinking and aging, which is true of all denominations currently.  It’s very similar to a family living in a house that’s too big, while not earning enough money to pay the mortgage, utility bills, and insurance.

 

Q: What process will be used to make this decision?
A: Although the Episcopal Church in Connecticut has a process for closing churches (click here for more), the vestry of St. John’s hopes not to close.  The process for determining the future of St. John’s will involve discernment on the parish level in collaborative partnership with the Bishop and Standing Committee (governing board) of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut. While each church is governed by Canon Law, we will need to plan for the future through conversations with our lay membership, ordained leadership, and partners in ministry in the diocese.

 

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Q: Are there other options?
A: Technically, the voting members of St. John’s Parish will be asked to choose from the following options about how best to worship and continue God’s mission in our community:

  1. Continue at our 16 Church Street location until all of our financial savings (our endowment) is gone.
  2. Move to a new location, by appointing a search committee to find an appropriate site.
  3. Merge with another Episcopal Church.
  4. Permanently close the community known as St. John’s Episcopal Church.  Members will make individual or family decisions about transferring to another church of their own choosing.

The first three options could include a commitment to undertake a major capital campaign to rebuild the parish’s finances for future sustainability.

 

Q: This seems so sudden.  Is this new?
A: No.  St. John’s Parish has run a budget deficit for many years.  We have not been able to afford our building, and balance our budget, for a long time.

 

Q: Were the people of St. John’s aware of this problem?
A: Yes — or at least, they should have been. A few long-time parishioners remember discussing the budget deficit back in the 1960s!!

Many people — some still at St. John’s, others who have left the parish — recall with great fondness the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.  Membership and staff were growing.  St. John’s was a livelier and younger place. Despite the size, energy, and vision of the congregation, the financial deficit never disappeared.  In October 2002, the Rev. Jim Bradley, Rector of St. John’s at the time, wrote in “The Outrider” (the parish newsletter) about the budget deficit and its long-term impact on the parish:

One place we must begin is in increasing pledged income. It is time each of us determined how we can more fully support the parish financially. An increase of pledged income of 25% coupled with judicious and wise budgeting could nearly eliminate the expected shortfall. Even that, however, would be only a short-term solution. We are challenged as a parish to create a vision for St. John’s future that would deal with finances for the long run.

 

Q: If St. John’s has had a budget deficit for many years, how could it have stayed in the building?  Where did the money come from?
A: Some of it came from judicious and wise budgeting, as Rev. Bradley suggested.  Our budget and staff have been cut significantly over the past five years.  These cuts have helped us stay at 16 Church Street for about two years longer than we would have otherwise.

Some of it came from the sale of property that was gifted to the parish, but no longer needed for our use.  Over the years, St. John’s sold a rectory, a small apartment building, and wooded acreage that could not be developed.

A large amount came from St. John’s great fortune to have a substantial endowment.  This “savings account” was built up by generations of families and individuals who have been part of St. John’s since its founding in the year 1732.  At its peak in the year 2000, the endowment was worth about $4 million.  Today, it’s worth $700,000, with half of that amount restricted for special purposes.  The other half, about $350,000, can be used for deficit reduction.

If we do nothing, we have enough money in the endowment to sustain the current situation until sometime in the year 2017.  At that point, the church may have no choice but to close.