Bill Allport, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal in Englewood, NJ, is set to leave on Sunday. The news, while welcome, is long overdue.
Allport, who has finally admitted publicly to suffering with alcoholism, has been devastating for an already struggling parish.
In addition to allegedly spending much of his time in his office swilling gin, Allport has been a divisive force in the parish.
Allport, reportedly suspended after embezzling from a parish he served in Texas, has allegedly lied about former church employees, including claiming that one, openly gay, intimidated his daughter. Additionally, many regard him as a narcissist and a sociopath.
Meanwhile, efforts to get the parish and the diocese to address the issues with Allport over the past year have been arduous, at best.
While the parish was trying to terminate Allport’s employment in the early months of 2023, it took until two months ago to finally get Allport out. And while the diocese has been careful to make sure that Allport is cared for, the parish has exhausted its savings and, absent drastic action, is set to implode financially.
Anglican Watch encourages bishop Carlye Hughes and the Diocese of Newark to take these matters seriously and provide tangible resources to assist the parish in recovering from Allport’s stint–not just a casual flyby from Canon Margaret Peckham Clark.
To be clear: St. Paul’s Englewood is teetering on the brink. Now is the time for decisive action.
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