To be a bit uncomfortable with local minister's show of wealth

[anonymousethatroared]

Part of me thinks, yes he and his family have the right to dress how they like and they are a normal family.

BUT The local minister, his wife and kids are VERY fashion conscious. They always have the best clothes and fashion haircuts and the kids always have the latest accessories. This makes me uncomfortable as I always , somewhat misguidedly, thought minitry cae with a degree of humility and compassion for the poor.

I understand dressing well doesnt suggest they dont but aibu to feel uncomfortable with their materialistic looking lifestyle?

DOn't be daft. One of the purposes of superstition is to benefit the 'priest class'. It's their imaginary friend's sincere intention that they should get the best of everything...

Sounds good to me. I don't think ministers should be paupers or model poverty. They need to set an appropriate role model for their parishioners. Taking pride in one's appearance is an excellent role model.

I meant to put in my OP that I certainly dont expect them to get about wearing rags

rampant consumerism surely not fitting for clergy?

Im not sure
What do yiu think fattyA ?

if Church of England would surprise me

Does his wife have a job? She isn't obliged to behave in some particular way just because she is married to a priest.

The children didnt choose to be fathered by a religious man, so why should they not have the same as other kids. The family could give 50% of their wealth to the church or charity, and you wouldnt know. YABU.

yes sgb but surely they should at least try and keep up the pretence

I would be uncomfortable with that op

My MIL is a member of the clergy and always dresses smartly but never showyoffy IYSWIM

I wonder which church they are members of? IME
salvation army = poor
c of e = varies widely
catholic = varies widely

Unless the Parish are paying for it I don't see it as anyone else's affair. I wouldn't imagine that his supposed affluence comes from his stipend, which is alleged to be quite modest. That said of course he and his family probably live rent-free which may account for it.

Either way, bloody good luck to him!

I met an ann summers rep who was married to a vicar.

That seemed an odd juxtaposition to me - especially when she was making chocolate willies in the vicarage

Its methodist btw

What sort of clothes? How do you know they're not eBay, smart charity shop, rich grandparents ?

Fwiw our local minister earns 16k in the southeast, has 3 children and the church provide a house. I imagine they are very conscious of money. However they all look ok dressed to me, not fancy, just normal.

So what's fancy in this case?

ah those tricksy old methodists

also, don't forget some clergy are late entrants, ie have had other jobs before following their vocation.

maybe he had a well paid job before

I bet being a member of the clergy works out really well of tax credits, because the fact that you get free housing will not be taken into account.

They could have had money that they inherited, there is all manner of reasons why they are not walking around looking like paupers.

yes I was just thinking that Cat - our CoE vicar has a yearly 3 week holiday in Florida (visits her sister), has just bought herself a swanky laptop, and has 2 other weeks away during the year as well (Jersey and somewhere else)

She ran her own small business and owned her own home before going down the ordination route. She still has the house - rents it out (and when the tenants pay up) this provides her a regular income on top of her stipend as her mortgage was paid up sometime ago and she doesn't want to sell the house as she'd rather like somewhere to live when she retires

God I dont expect them to be impoverished at all. I was just er, surprised.

Their church paying for their family holidays - CoE??? that sounds very bizarre

"They are Cof E , the amount of money their church has seems outrageous to me."

Obviously have a wealthy, well earning congregation. They'll be one of the lucky churches that manage to afford to pay their "parish share" no doubt.

well yes - even having the flights paid for by the church is unusual - bet our vicar would love it if the church stumped up the money for her flights to Florida this year (actually they're already booked - so next year).