new church life: march / april 2014
The Rt. Rev. Brian W. Keith
The Church and Academy
Bishop Keith felt that in his first year as Executive Bishop it
was important to establish himself also as Chancellor of
the Academy of the New Church, so he has cut back on his
international travel. His new assistant, the Rt. Rev. Peter
M. Buss Jr., has almost no international experience, so has
been getting to know the Church in South and West Africa,
Australia, Sweden, and Korea/Asia.
He said the Academy Secondary Schools and Bryn Athyn College have
been working through challenging times but are on track for budgetary
stability. (He didn’t say much about the College since Dr. King would be
addressing that in her banquet address.)
Glencairn Museum, the public face of the Academy, just had a glowing
review from a world expert on religious museums. It hosts thousands of
visitors each year, from grade school through college and all ages of the public.
It is an incredible resource for the Academy and what it does for our schools
“is phenomenal.”
The Secondary Schools were just reaccredited, with a very favorable
response from the Middle States Association. Its visiting team was “blown
away by our students” and wondered why we aren’t advertising ourselves
better to the world.
The Bishop assured that everything in the College and Secondary Schools
is mission driven.
The General Church also has lots of challenges but good things happening
as well.
More and more congregations are becoming financially independent and
the Healthy Church Match is helping to increase endowment in those with
schools so they don’t have to depend on grants from the General Church.
It has not been easy to cut back on programs, but the General Church
budget has been cut in half – from $9 million a few years ago to $4.5 million
today. Contributions, however, remain flat and we could close more gaps if
members gave more. We always encourage members to support their societies
first but not to forget the Academy and the General Church.
Internationally, the situation in Kenya is improving. The congregation in
Riounde has fallen apart with the death of its pastor. However, the Rev. Samson
Abuga in Etora is doing heroic work. He added the abandoned children from
Riounde’s orphanage to his own. A new group established in the United States,
Helping Children in Crisis, is providing financial help.
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