Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

September is a time of new beginnings. Summer vacations are over and the start of the new church program year brings a sense of optimism, a chance to try something new.

For the September and October Vestry Papers, we’re sharing stories from individuals, congregations, and dioceses who are taking innovative approaches to the ongoing challenge of financial sustainability. Inspired by the Province IX Sustainability Conference held in Tela, Honduras, in March, we sought examples of congregations using the principles of asset based community development to first discern their gifts and strengths and then use these assets in service to God.

Our September articles include:

• “Green Shoots from the Stump, Part I of II: When you’re down you’re not out,” by Brent Owens, rector of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church in Monroe, Georgia. In this two-part article (the second installment will be posted in October), Brent shares the story of a congregation determined to survive and how, through a combination of faith, innovation, and creativity, St. Alban’s is growing, with bright green shoots of ministry growing in many directions.
• “New Heights: Innovative Ideas to Build Church Revenue and Community” by Jeanie Sablatura and Terry Nathan offers a look at the approach taken by a large urban congregation to both build community and increase revenue. St. David’s, Austin has a long history of using its location to generate revenue and continues to explore and develop income-producing enterprises to fund ministry and build community.
• “One Step Out of Stuckness” by Jamie Coats offers a creative way to look at how to bring about change in your congregation or your life. Offered as a tool for committees and groups eager to ‘think outside the box,’ Jamie invites you try his approach when you are feeling stuck in old ways of thinking or being.
• Offered in both Spanish and English, “El Futuro o el Hoy/The Future and the Now” by Juan Ángel Monge, uses the experience of the Diocese of Puerto Rico to invite financially dependent congregations to explore ways to both serve the community and increase revenue.

Over the summer we posted a few blogs related to the theme of innovative stewardship. The posts Inspiring Intersections by Anne Ditzler and Rising Dough, Growing Communities by Miguel Escobar explore new ways to approach community building and stewardship, while the video featured in Back to Church Sunday by Richelle Thompson offers ways to engage in conversation about our faith without feeling ‘preachy.’ And, for practical tips and strategies related to congregational finance, read Tax Credit? by Nancy Davidge and Stewardship Season is Just Around the Corner by Miguel Angel Escobar.

In October, we’ll continue our “Innovative Stewardship” theme with the second installment of St. Alban’s “Green Shoots from the Stump: Event evangelism, community focus, and growth,” as well as articles describing a regional approach to ministry in Southeastern Florida, and beekeeping in California.

Do you have an “Innovative Stewardship” story to share? If so, please drop me a note at ndavidge@episcopalfoundation.org, post a comment on our Facebook page, or share your Innovative Stewardship resources in the Your Turn section of this site.

Faithfully,

Nancy

Nancy Davidge 
Editor, ECF Vital Practices

PS: To make it easier for congregational leaders to find the resources offered through ECF Vital Practices, please consider adding a link to ECF Vital Practices to your website.