The Anglican Resource Centre in Wellington will be wound up at the end of December because of continuing losses.

This decision arises from a review by a special task group set up by the Diocesan Management Committee after last year’s synod.

In a statement today, the Diocesan Administrator and Registrar, Archdeacon Bernard Faull, said the Centre had been trading “at a loss we just can’t sustain.”

“The task group became acutely aware of the huge change in the trading environment over the last 10 years,” he added.

“The Resource Centre is now not fiscally viable. People and parishes are now able to purchase books and other resources over the internet at prices that often are at or below

our cost price.”

Archdeacon Faull said the Centre would take last orders on 30 September (at synod) but would sell existing stock until mid-December.

“The Diocese is looking at taking up the responsibility of supplying parishes with wafers,

candles, registers, lectionaries, clerical directories, sacrament cards and prayer books,” he said.

Parishes would also be notified of suppliers so that they were not left in the lurch.

He asked the Diocese to pray for the centre’s staff and directors “as they draw to a close this ministry that has served us well in the past.”