Anglican Church a Twitter over empty pews

From The Globe and Mail-

Faced with declining enrolment and revenue that will force it to shutter churches on Vancouver Island, the Anglican Church is turning to the social medium where millions of followers already flock: Twitter.

The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia last weekend voted to close seven churches outright and move those congregations to "hub churches." The meeting, during which several members tweeted updates to followers, came on the heels of an ominous recent report that predicted that the once powerful church was headed for extinction unless dramatic changes occur.

In addition to recommending that churches close, the report described Canada as a post-Christian society and urged a change in attitude to attract new members, including embracing modern forms of evangelism.

Among other things, the report suggested members and lay people go "outside the walls of our parish buildings," to talk to people about the church and even invite them to a service. Some clergy have already begun this modern missionary work, using social media, such as Twitter and Facebook, to reach new followers.

Rev. Christopher Parsons said the notion of evangelism has traditionally struck a raw nerve among churchgoers, but he argued that the status quo hasn't worked for years. "Over the years, the church has been able to rest on its laurels," he said. "You could open the church and its door and people would pour in." That's not happening any more.

More here-

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/anglican-church-a-twitter-over-empty-pews/article1495725/