Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

This week I’ll attend a big staff gathering where we’ll review statistics and trends about the Episcopal Church. I don’t like hearing the bad news about decline. It sucks my energy and can leave me with a “why bother?” feeling. But I have to admit that sometimes I need to return to the hard data and see that big picture. I need to be reminded of the challenges before us.

Through ECF Vital Practices we aim to tell good news stories about the Episcopal Church, and to equip ourselves to be bold, faith-filled, disciples who share the Good News with all in our midst. If we focus only on problems, we’ll have little reason to believe we can overcome our challenges. We need to spend as much time – or more – learning about success stories and the vision God is creating for us.

A leader is one who can balance the bad news and the good news. Good leaders can squarely face the facts of the present situation, inspire and invite others to act with purpose during times of uncertainty, and paint a vision of the future that is so compelling that people want to journey toward it together. It’s a hard balance to strike, but essential. Moses and Jesus – as well as many contemporary saints and leaders – provide excellent examples of how they helped followers (and critics) see and act in new ways.

Here are two resources that can help you see and act in new ways.

• If you want to start facing the facts, start here with statistics compiled by the researcher for the Episcopal Church, C. Kirk Hadaway. Then dig into other research about your congregation and diocese.

• If you want to respond to this reality, especially if you are part of a congregation in decline or just holding on, consider joining the Rev. Tom Ehrich for a series of webinars (online workshops) focused on “Turnaround Strategies for Your Church” starting September 27. Sometimes Tom can seem like a voice crying out in the wilderness, provoking us to see and act in new ways. (His Vestry Papers article The End to ‘Business as Usual” generated a range of response from readers.) I have no doubt his webinars will challenge some usual assumptions, and I’m sure they will include solid advice on how to improve communications, raise up leaders, rethink stewardship, and make tough decisions. 

Whether you use these resources or others, the central question facing church leaders is the same: are we going to turn from death to life?