Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

The Christmas frenzy is already taking over and steamrolling Thanksgiving and the period of preparation that is Advent. In this midmonth digest, we offer ways to slow down, to give thanks, and, at the same time, bring back some of ECF Vital Practices’ timeless resources to help you with your Advent preparation.

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What Fresh Hell is This?
The wait demanded of us in Advent is a more difficult one with no tangible outcome accessible to us. In “What Fresh Hell is This?”, Sam Portaro invites us to think about Advent through Joseph’s eyes as he travels to Bethlehem with Mary and embrace the spiritual leadership that demands courageous truth telling.

The Best Way to be Blocked
“When was the last time you stopped to reflect on the ways your life may have been blocked by an angel?” The Thanksgiving and Advent season can be frustrating, and we may feel stymied at times by our busy, overworked, and rushed lives. Jamie Coats shares in "The Best Way to be Blocked" his “Rules of the Heart” that he learned while going through a difficult chapter in his life, learning to acknowledge and appreciate the instances when he was being blocked by an angel.

Blog Posts Lord Help Me to See (and Hear): How many times do we act in ways we think best, without consciously considering the needs or wants of our audience? Offering Hope and Healing: Stephen Ministry: Not everyone experiences the joy of Advent and Christmas. We can reach out to people in emotional need during the holidays. Advent: Taking it to the Streets: Our church brings ashes to the street on Ash Wednesday; how might we bring Advent to the streets during this hectic season?

Tools and Resources Advent Parish Checklist: Use this handy checklist for getting your church ready for visitors during Advent and Christmas. Christmas Messages: Short, simple, and powerful. Create a video message or ad for Christmas that’s easy to produce. 2013 Advent Devotional Calendar: A beautiful, simple, and low tech calendar for Advent. Download, print, and share.

I do my filing once a year whether I need to or not
Calendars fill up at this time of the year and piles of papers have accumulated on desks, files, and drawers; yet right around the corner will be annual reports and plenty of deadlines. Peter Strimer shares his process of having an Advent retreat to do his filing in “I do my filing once a year whether I need to or not.” In it, he shares how this process also becomes a time for reflection and giving thanks for things over the past year.