Anglican church losing pastor
Replacement unlikely as congregation deals with debt
Sarah Ladik
Northern News Services
Thursday, April 14, 2016
INUVIK
The Anglican flock in Inuvik is missing its shepherd.
Rev. Stephen Martin is leaving town for family reasons but said the Anglican Church in Inuvik cannot currently support a minister anyway. - Sarah Ladik/NNSL photo
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After nearly three years, Rev. Stephen Martin is leaving town. While the immediate reason is that his wife needs medical treatment that is not available in the community, he told the Drum he likely would have been moved out by fall anyway.
"There's no real blame either way," Martin said. "It's just the way things are. This community used to be vibrant, self-sustaining, but with the economy the way it is, it's not like that anymore."
In the Anglican system, the congregation of each church provides for the lodging and stipend of the minister. Martin said this used to work well but, in recent years, has become a problem. Complicating matters is a deficit the church is currently running.
"The debt was already established when I walked into this congregation," he said, noting three years ago the debt was $30,000 but has now ballooned to $100,000. "They can't keep ahead of it."
Martin also said the church has been focusing on keeping the doors open, meaning that his own salary has fallen by the wayside.
"The congregation has been having rummage sales, bi-weekly lunches, that sort of thing," he said. "But it may take a while to dig this one out of the hole."
Other options to raise money, now that Martin and his family are leaving, could include renting out the minister's lodgings next to the church, but that means there won't be an Anglican priest in Inuvik. Over the course of the year, the congregation averages about 50 people per week, with more attending around Christmas and Easter.
"The question needs to be asked by the community, what does the church mean to them? Do they want it here?" said Martin. "If so, then they need to step up. If not, that's a tell-tale sign. Other churches have closed for less."
In the meantime, Martin said there are ministries in Aklavik and Fort McPherson with deacons who can perform baptisms and marriages, the only sacraments that cannot be performed by a layperson.
He also said that he has already been working with the Catholic church for important events like Good Friday and Christmas mass, so he wouldn't be surprised if some of the congregation found their way there.
"It's not about denomination," he said. "How do we work in leadership for the good of the whole community? The spirit is open to it."
As for Martin, he said his immediate focus is taking care of his family.
"I've been pastoring for over 25 years," he said. "My first goal is to support my family. Whatever doors open after that, they'll open. My job is to take care of my family - I'll let God take care of the rest."
