Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

What is it that inspires us to move from intent to action? It’s often a very personal decision, one that may be difficult to put into words. In this Vestry Papers we share stories from four Episcopalians who understand, as shared in the Parable of the Yeast (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21), God’s kingdom begins in small way. Like yeast, these small actions become the catalyst for change, transforming all they encounter into something larger, something that nourishes and sustains….

Here are stories – of individuals, congregations, dioceses, and organizations – all making a real difference in their communities:

Lallie Lloyd believes the most effective and powerful form of advocacy is bearing witness. In “All Our Children: It Starts with a Story,” Lallie recounts how her experience tutoring Sophia in an under-resourced school led her to join forces with Trinity Wall Street and the Episcopal Diocese of New York to create a network to support congregations engaged in one-on-one partnerships with local schools.

The mission of God is about transformation – personal, societal, global. In “Called to be Catalysts,” Kate Heichler shares how members of the interfaith community in Stamford, Connecticut are partnering with local agencies to convene monthly to discuss and strategize actions to address community challenges. The series began on Martin Luther King’s birthday with over 100 people gathered in facilitated strategy circles.

Luke 4:16-19 is one of the most powerful biblical passages about social justice. Many people, including contributor Simón Bautista, believe this text traces the path Christians should follow to make possible the full establishment of the kingdom of God on earth. In “Una Voz Para Los Que NoTienen Voz” (A Voice for the Voiceless), Simón identifies three ways people of faith can stand up for people who are among the most vulnerable, voiceless, and marginalized. (Offered in both Spanish and English.)

In “Beauty and Advocacy,” Margaret Bullitt-Jonas describes how congregations in the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts responded to their diocese’s invitation to explore ways to “reclaim the sacredness of the natural world and to respond to our God-given call to protect it.” She invites you to find ways to “weave themes of Creation into every aspect of the Church’s life: worship services and prayers, Sunday school and adult education, outreach, and advocacy – so that we praise and serve the Lord of all Creation not just during a special season, but every day.”

While researching this issue I found congregations and dioceses across our Church engaged in advocacy. From the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles’ Water Tithe challenge to the resources provided by Bishops United Against Gun Violence and the upcoming Episcopal Church wide forum on the Climate Change Crisis followed by 30 Days of Action there is ample evidence of, and support for, Episcopalians engaged in God’s’ mission of reconciling us to God, Creation, and each other.

These new Vestry Papers articles represent just a small portion of the resources available on the ECF Vital Practices’ website. Use the Topics index on each page of the site to find other resources related to serving on the vestry including past Vestry Papers articles, blog posts, and the many resources found in our Your Turn and Tools sections.

If you are interested in seeing our Spanish language content, please visit our searchable index for our Spanish content here.

As your congregation welcomes new vestry members this month, please remember to share this issue of Vestry Papers with them and to invite them to subscribe to ECF Vital Practices and Vestry Papers. Subscriptions are free; click on the Subscribe tab on the upper right hand corner of this page. New subscribers are asked to fill out a short registration form to have Vestry Papers and the Vital Practices Digest delivered each month to your email inbox.

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