Buildings and Grounds
By Philip Mantle
Faith in action – loving God with all our heart, mind, soul, and strength by loving our neighbors as ourselves – is the hallmark of Jubilee Ministry.
By Charles Hendrix
“Giving from Our Abundance” sounds like a tired stewardship campaign slogan, but what might happen if a church did this?
By Maurice J. Seaton
A capital campaign is an opportunity for building community, yet it can be fraught with obstacles.
By Judith Doran
Dr. Alan Watton was ninety years old when he started coming to church, via a ride from our hospitality chairs (a husband and wife team). After the first service, he stopped on his way out and asked if I made home visits.
By Lori Hale Babcock
Burdened with their building, Lori Hale Babcock tells us in “Being at the Edge” how her congregation’s leadership courageously faced its challenges - and now thrives.
By Demi Prentiss
In “God’s Gift of Chaos,” Demi Prentiss shares how embracing the messiness of the unknown can help a congregation become unstuck from the things that prevent meaningful change from occurring.
By Ken Howard
Once there was a time when church buildings were considered indispensable fixtures for their surrounding community. Now, many of our buildings are empty most days of the week and people on the street pass by without a second …
By David Robinson
A church building is a gift that we must consider using to its fullest potential. In Putting Our Buildings to Work, David Robinson invites us to be open to all possibilities and lists ideas for transforming church spaces.
By Nurya Love Parish
In From One Small Seed: The Story of Plainsong Farm, the Rev. Nurya Love Parish writes about turning her small family farm into a thriving, self-sustaining, Episcopal ministry dedicated to creation care and agri-ministry.
By Wyndeth Davis
When obligation and exhaustion replace hope-filled and spirit-led ministry, communities can struggle to see all that God has given them. In From Dwindling Congregation to Dynamic Resource, Wyndeth Davis from the Upper Peninsu…
By Charis Bhagianathan
As individuals and communities, the best way we can tackle disasters is by being prepared. In this issue, hear from communities and individuals who share stories of preparation, care and hope.
By Jen Adams
CPR training is a life-skill and a gift that any of us could be called to offer at any time. In Staying Alive, Jen Adams shares how the members and staff of Grace Episcopal Church in Holland, Michigan prioritized this life-sa…
By Frances “Boo” Kay
Schools in our communities require a specific and focused disaster preparedness and recovery plan to ensure the safety of all involved. In Disaster Preparedness Takes Planning, Frances “Boo” Kay shares the preparations that c…
By Bernadette Williams
What brings hope in the face of tragedy? In In Misfortune, We are One, Bernadette Williams describes the sense of unity that brought the Haitian people together after two disastrous hurricanes, and the music ministry that ros…
By Mark Stevens
In Security Planning for Your Faith Community, Mark Stevens details a program he created that can help a church conduct an initial hazard assessment specific to its activities and location, develop an emergency action plan ba…
By Tamara Plummer
In Mapping Assets Builds Resilience, Tamara Plummer writes about how the Episcopal Asset Map, a collaborative mapping project of Episcopal Relief & Development and the Episcopal Church, creates a more connected Church that ca…
By Janet Waggoner
How do congregations who lose their buildings and possessions refocus on what truly makes “church”? In Church Without Walls, Janet Waggoner shares the story of the Episcopal Church in North Texas, where its people have not ju…
By Beth Wyndham
What does it mean to be centered in joy? Are you searching for a way to engage your church leadership in reflection on their joy and gratitude as a community? In her vlog, A Pandemic Church Plant Inspires Joy, Beth Wyndham in…
By Brian Sellers-Petersen
What can you do with land? Turns out, the sky is the limit! In Stewardship and Land, Brian Sellers-Peterson shares his view of our greatest common asset – land, and provides numerous examples of active ministries that take …
By Nancy Davidge as told by Edgar Gutierrez-Duarte
How does a congregation live into its sacred role as a healer?