August 6, 2014

August 2014 Editor’s Letter: Leading Change

This month’s Vestry Papers shares somewhat similar stories from congregations across our church. All faced real challenges. Some related to issues inside the church: leadership transitions, declining membership, decreased income, and rising operating costs. Others involved community issues: how could a small congregation contribute in a meaningful way to bring about needed change in their communities?

What the creative models for ministry these congregations adopted have in common is the increased involvement of lay leaders in all aspects of church life.

Listening to these stories, what I heard repeatedly was the more people are involved in the life of the church, the more their experience of church expands. And, especially in our smallest churches when the prospect of growth is often off the table, there is an increased focus on the congregation’s role in the community.

Our August stories include:

Shared Leadership” by Beckett Stokes, describes the experience of several small congregations in the Diocese of Colorado who are growing and thriving as a result of their adoption of the diocese’s model of shared leadership. She also shares some of the resources the diocese offers in support of this leadership model.

When the long time rector of Christ Episcopal Church in Montpelier, Vermont retired, the congregation had the opportunity to explore different models of leadership. In “Becoming/Continuing/Expanding,” Nancy Davidge tells the story of this revitalized congregation and how their lay led ‘centers of creativity’ are restoring the church both literally and figuratively.

At Iona-Hope Episcopal Church in Fort Meyers, Florida, the congregation lives into its core values through their practice of small group ministries, impacting not only life inside the church but also helping to shape policy in Lee County, Florida. In “Small Groups, Big Impact,” John Adler shares how his former congregation brings people with similar interests together to bring about real change in the church and the world.

In Tillamook, Oregon, four Christian churches have found new energy by working – and occasionally worshipping – together. Three of these four churches also share a rector. “Pooling Resources” by Nancy Davidge, tells the story of how this somewhat unusual arrangement came about and why it makes perfect sense for this small community in Western Oregon.

At the end of each Vestry Papers article you’ll find a list of the resources mentioned in the article as well as additional information related to the topic. If you have a resource you’d like to share, please email me with the link or add it to the site using the Your Turn feature. If you’re a subscriber, click on the Make a Submission button. Not a subscriber? It’s easy – and free – just click here.

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