Bishop Sue Moxley of the Anglican Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island says the Diocese has no intention to end the Chaplain’s position at King’s. However, beginning in January, the Diocese will be contributing 50 per cent less of its funding. She says the reduction in funding is not a reaction to how the Diocese values the King’s Chaplaincy, but rather a reflection of the Diocese’s own budget problems.
“Some people expect churches to magically have a big pot of money,” she says. But the Anglican Diocese’s operation budget is made up of contributions from churches in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Each church contributes 19 per cent of their finances. This allows the Diocese to fund chapels like those on campuses or hospitals.
“But when parishes have the squeeze on their own funding, they don’t have that much money to give,” Moxley says.
Moxley says that there have been many discussions about where King’s can compensate for the lack of funding from the Diocese. She says alumni donations will be a possible source. In addition, Moxley thinks the university could be of some help. “They have the benefit of having a Chaplain,” she says, “but they don’t contribute financially.” She also says that it is unusual to have a full-time Chaplain on a university campus.
Moxley is a member of the Board of Governors at King’s and says she understands how complicated the financial situation is at universities. “This is not out of ignorance,” she says, “We want to keep [the Chaplaincy].”
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