Anglicans in Jamaica want to halt decline in membership

THE Anglican Church yesterday announced that it would be focusing its energies on revitalising its congregations which "are suffering a decline in membership".

But in making the announcement, National President of the Brotherhood of St Andrew Oswald Seymour insisted that the slide was in no way linked to the split in the worldwide Anglican community over the 2003 consecration of the first openly gay bishop, V Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.

According to Seymour, Robinson's appointment which has sent the church body into a tailspin "has nothing to do with the diocese of Jamaica". In fact, he said the split abroad has had "no impact" on the Anglican church in Jamaica.

Rather, he said that Jamaica's dwindling congregations - especially in rural areas - was due in part to population shifts and urbanisation which have taken a toll on their membership. Read more