Letter from Harold Barrett Robinson to rectors and wardens of the Diocese of Western New York, December 9, 1973
Title
Letter from Harold Barrett Robinson to rectors and wardens of the Diocese of Western New York, December 9, 1973
Subject
Buffalo (N.Y.) -- Church history
African Americans -- New York (State) -- Buffalo
Description
Typewritten letter from Bishop of Western New York Harold Barrett Robinson to Diocese of Western New York rectors and wardens concerning the 1974 pledge to the Diocese, December 9, 1973.
Creator
Robinson, Harold Barrett
Publisher
State University of New York at Buffalo. University Libraries
Date
1973-12-09
Contributor
State University of New York at Buffalo. University Archives
Rights
Researchers must contact University Archives to obtain reproductions of images and to request permission to use any image. Persons who publish or use this material in any manner assume all responsibility for identifying copyright holders and meeting any requisites for use.
Format
application/pdf
Language
en-US
Type
Text
Identifier
MS-0269_10_2_006
Date Created
2023-05-15
Extent
21.6x28.1cm
2pp
Transcription
Diocese of Western New York
1114 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209
716-881-0660
Dear Rectors and Wardens:
I write you concerning the pledge to the Diocese for 1974 from your
congregation.
Each year you solicit the members of your congregation asking for a pledge
of financial support. You attempt to inform your people of the needs of the
church, urge them to be generous and inspiring them to be faithful stewards of
the gifts God has given them. It can be very frustrating when people fail to
recognize those needs and shirk their responsibility as members of the Church.
The Diocese has a similar relationship to its parishes. The Diocese urges
its parishes to be faithful stewards of the gifts they receive from their
parishioners and to remember others outside the parish boundaries. It can be
very frustrating when parishes fail to recognize Diocesan needs and shirk their
responsibilities as members of the Diocese. The same must be kept in mind when
the Diocese considers its pledge to the National Church. I am suggesting that
the Vestry, when making a parish pledge to the Diocese, tell itself the same
sort of thing it has been telling its own parishioners. Likewise, the Diocese
must "practice what it preaches" when it signs a pledge to the National Church.
At our last Convention, our Diocesan Treasurer commented that the Diocese of
Western New York was in better financial condition than it had ever been in his
own personal experience. The Diocese is financially solvent, not because we have
ample funding, but because we have trimmed expenses in order .to live within our
income. We have not been able to pay our "fair share" to the National Church.
New work, involving added expenditures have been delayed. Being solvent is no
great virtue if such solvency results in stagnation.
At the same Convention, the Diocese voted to increase the minimum clergy
salaries and to become more of a "servant Church", striving to meet the unmet
needs in our communities. Translated into practice, this means increased
expenditures for both the parish and the Diocese. It also means that the
individual parishioners are supporting, through t heir pledge to the Diocese,
many worthwhile programs.
From 1968 to 1972, pledges to the Diocese decreased each year from a high
of $335,000. to a low in 1972 of $277,000. - a decrease over a five year period
of some $57,000. - during an inflationary spiral! Last year (1973) we reversed
that trend with an increase in pledges amounting to $4,500. It would be tragic
if we were to fall back now. With this in mind, I am asking each parish to
pledge at leas amucsh ats they pledged in 1973 with the earnest hope that they
p.2
will be able to continue this new trend by increasing their pledge for 1974.
I am confident that you will take all of this and more into consideration
when you decide upon your pledge to the Diocese for next year. The enclosed
pledge form (sent only to the clergy) should be returned to the Diocesan office
no later than January 3, 1974. We must have them by this date in order to
formulate the 1974 budget.
I am deeply grateful for your support during the last three years as your
Diocesan. I continue to be encouraged by signs of renewal and vitality and
invite you to share my enthusiasm.
Faithfully yours,
Harold Barrett Robinson
Bishop of Western New York
HBR/w
Enc.
November 13, 1973
1114 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209
716-881-0660
Dear Rectors and Wardens:
I write you concerning the pledge to the Diocese for 1974 from your
congregation.
Each year you solicit the members of your congregation asking for a pledge
of financial support. You attempt to inform your people of the needs of the
church, urge them to be generous and inspiring them to be faithful stewards of
the gifts God has given them. It can be very frustrating when people fail to
recognize those needs and shirk their responsibility as members of the Church.
The Diocese has a similar relationship to its parishes. The Diocese urges
its parishes to be faithful stewards of the gifts they receive from their
parishioners and to remember others outside the parish boundaries. It can be
very frustrating when parishes fail to recognize Diocesan needs and shirk their
responsibilities as members of the Diocese. The same must be kept in mind when
the Diocese considers its pledge to the National Church. I am suggesting that
the Vestry, when making a parish pledge to the Diocese, tell itself the same
sort of thing it has been telling its own parishioners. Likewise, the Diocese
must "practice what it preaches" when it signs a pledge to the National Church.
At our last Convention, our Diocesan Treasurer commented that the Diocese of
Western New York was in better financial condition than it had ever been in his
own personal experience. The Diocese is financially solvent, not because we have
ample funding, but because we have trimmed expenses in order .to live within our
income. We have not been able to pay our "fair share" to the National Church.
New work, involving added expenditures have been delayed. Being solvent is no
great virtue if such solvency results in stagnation.
At the same Convention, the Diocese voted to increase the minimum clergy
salaries and to become more of a "servant Church", striving to meet the unmet
needs in our communities. Translated into practice, this means increased
expenditures for both the parish and the Diocese. It also means that the
individual parishioners are supporting, through t heir pledge to the Diocese,
many worthwhile programs.
From 1968 to 1972, pledges to the Diocese decreased each year from a high
of $335,000. to a low in 1972 of $277,000. - a decrease over a five year period
of some $57,000. - during an inflationary spiral! Last year (1973) we reversed
that trend with an increase in pledges amounting to $4,500. It would be tragic
if we were to fall back now. With this in mind, I am asking each parish to
pledge at leas amucsh ats they pledged in 1973 with the earnest hope that they
p.2
will be able to continue this new trend by increasing their pledge for 1974.
I am confident that you will take all of this and more into consideration
when you decide upon your pledge to the Diocese for next year. The enclosed
pledge form (sent only to the clergy) should be returned to the Diocesan office
no later than January 3, 1974. We must have them by this date in order to
formulate the 1974 budget.
I am deeply grateful for your support during the last three years as your
Diocesan. I continue to be encouraged by signs of renewal and vitality and
invite you to share my enthusiasm.
Faithfully yours,
Harold Barrett Robinson
Bishop of Western New York
HBR/w
Enc.
November 13, 1973
Collection
Citation
Robinson, Harold Barrett, “Letter from Harold Barrett Robinson to rectors and wardens of the Diocese of Western New York, December 9, 1973,” Digital Collections - University at Buffalo Libraries, accessed April 30, 2024, https://digital.lib.buffalo.edu/items/show/97523.