in All and filtered by Small Churches, Vestry, Hospitality + 2 other(s)
By Sandra Montes
What is our first response when something terrible happens? In When Disaster Strikes, Sandra Montes presents her response, grounded in her faith, and shares those of many others, also asking – what helps you in the face of disaster?
By Haley Bankey
Tragically, active shooter preparedness is something all residents of the United States would benefit to learn about. In Gentle as a Dove, Wise as a Serpent, Haley Bankey shares resources to help you navigate the difficult conversations that need to take place in order for your community of faith to be as prepared as possible, while still extending grace-filled hospitality to all who seek God’s...
By Ranjit K. Mathews
What is your most radical dream for our church? In Embodying Hope, Ranjit Mathews describes his vision for the church for the future – one that looks, feels and truly is a sacred, inclusive, welcoming home for all.
By Charis Bhagianathan
In our final issue of the year, we raise up our young leaders. Their collective wisdom and experience teach us incredibly important lessons about our church today and tomorrow. I invite you to listen to their powerful stories and learn from them. They represent the best and most hopeful part of our beloved Church.
By Dustin Seo
How many times has your faith community thought about what it can do to bring and keep young people at church? In Worship as an Invitation to Belong, Dustin Seo describes his journey into the Episcopal Church as an active participant who knows he belongs, the role that music played on that path and how worship is something we all actively create, not something we passively consume.
By Jon Davis
What is our modern day understanding of the mission of the church? In The Third Place, Jon Davis tells us about spaces where people gather outside of home and work, to witness and experience redemption, reconciliation and repentance, making these sacred communal places also ‘thin places’, where the Holy Spirit can be felt working in and through us.
By Diana Wheeler
In Vocation in an Unsafe World, Diana Wheeler tells us about the Companions of Dorothy the Worker, an ecumenical Christian community that brings radical hospitality to the queer community, modeling Christ’s unfailing and constant love to the most marginalized among us. This article is available in English and Spanish.
By Josh Anderson
Like many of us, ECF Associate Program Director Josh Anderson has trouble with winter. But where there is challenge, there is also opportunity. He talks here about financial opportunities to be found during the bleakness.
By Charis Bhagianathan
In this issue, we highlight traditional tools, as well as relationship-building and partnership-focused ideas to consider that will enrich our learning and service to our Church.
By ECFVP Team
The Congregational Vitality Assessment (CVA) tool is designed to provide congregations with an assessment of their Vitality (how healthy they are) and their Sustainability (whether they have the people, financial, and contextual resources necessary to survive). The CVA is made available free to congregations of all denominations and religions by a partnership between The FaithX Project and the Epi...