Kristine Stache, interim president of the ELCA’s Wartburg Seminary, told Episcopal church officials that, from 2008 to 2018, the denomination experienced a 24.9 percent decline in average Sunday attendance (ASA), and a 17 percent decline in membership. “It appears to depict a church that is dying,” Stache said, calling the data, “very sobering.”

According to church statistics, the rate of decline accelerated in 2018, jumping from a 1.9 percent annual decline in membership in 2017 to a 2.1 percent decline, the highest rate since 2014. Moreover, burials outpaced baptisms by 7.34 percent, while in 2018 alone congregations saw a total decline in their financial investments of $155,500,000. The latter is amazing, particularly in light of the strong stock market, and suggests that on the local level, The Episcopal Church may be living beyond its means. 

Here in DioVA, the church lost 33.62 percent of its ASA between 2005 and 2018. Between just 2015 and 2018, the diocese shed 4.53% of its pledging units.

Amidst all this bad news, you’d think that folks would be on their good behavior, wouldn’t you? But you’d be mistaken—Bob Malm is comfortable trying to force people out of the church. Bishop Susan Goff, the diocese, and the Grace parish vestry are okay with Bob Malm committing perjury, as long as he doesn’t face criminal charges. And the Alison Campbells, Lisa Medleys, Jan Spences, and other fake Christians of Grace Church are okay with their behind-the-scenes fun and games in which they think they get to decide who can be part of the parish.

Small wonder The Episcopal Church is collapsing, and rightly so. The world will be a better place without the hypocrisy of The Episcopal Church. 

And don’t worry about Bobby Malm. He’ll continue to jog, play golf, and drink beer, secure in the knowledge that he’ll get his retirement check, regardless of the hot mess that he leaves behind at Grace Church.