in Vestry Papers and filtered by Small Churches, Vision , Buildings and Grounds
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 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 just continued doing God’s work in the face of material loss, but have poured even more into their communities, never failing in love and faithfulness.
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...
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 invites us to consider where the Holy Spirit may be calling our faith communities to seek joy.
By Aisha Huertas
How can small churches operate from a mindset of abundance? In Beyond the Numbers, Aisha Huertas shares examples and lists practical ways in which small churches have massive positive impact in the communities around them.
By Robert Leopold
COVID-19 has unforgivingly exposed a challenging vision of the future of our church. In Tension and Release in the Church, Robert Leopold uses the analogy of a “wrist rocket” from the Netflix series Stranger Things and shares how being called to “wade into the tension of our times” might be the pandemic’s hidden gift.
By Dexter Lesieur
Being a small church, doesn’t mean only small things are possible. Quite the contrary, as Dexter Lesieur lists in Inspiration from a Small Congregation, the incredible work his church of 16 has been able to accomplish with enthusiasm, courage and the power of the Holy Spirit.
By Aisha Huertas
“La rosa no dejaría de ser rosa, tampoco dejaría de esparcir su aroma, aunque se llamara de otra manera”,me suena en la mente cuando pienso en la institución que es la Iglesia. No es porque la Iglesia es perfecta ni porque no tenemos trabajo serio que hacer en aspectos como racismo, inclusión y amar al prójimo, pero debido a que la Iglesia, independientemente de su tamaño y cuando realme...
By Ellen and Kurt Huber
In this heartbreaking and poignant piece - Showing Up at the Holy Borders - Ellen and Kurt Huber narrate the story of the small community of the Cheyenne River Episcopal Mission who gathered to share in the grief of young parents, driving out their deep pain with the warmth of compassion and the living traditions of their ancestors.
By Charis Bhagianathan
In this issue, you’ll hear stories of love, strength and a willingness to evolve – all characteristics that we must lean on as we grow together as Church.
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