Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

As Episcopalians, it's easy to get swept up in the details - like the shininess of the vessels or the color of the vestments - and we forget about the core of the Good News we have to share. In his article, Alex Montes-Vela reminds us that it is through our brokenness that we can truly see what God is calling us to do – and be – in the world.

The Rev. Kenn Katona writes on the decline of church membership and his congregation’s new evangelism ministry. He writes: “Our challenge now is to think outside the box. We can no longer be the best kept secret in whatever town we reside in. Gone are the days when we can simply paint the door red or rely on our social positions or status to draw people in.”

Sometimes evangelism seems scary – but it can be as simple as a brief conversation waiting in line at your local Walgreens. In his blog post, The Rev. Robert Hendrickson tells of this kind of encounter. He ends his reflection wondering how The Episcopal Church could be changed if we were excited to share that we have a Church that we love that is small but authentic and is about the work Jesus did – and still does in so many ways.

Jesus was a master storyteller, and his metaphors ring true nearly 2,000 years after his death and resurrection. For congregations, learning to tell our faith community’s story is an exercise in self-awareness and engagement. In this article, Demi Prentiss will walk you through questions your Vestry or ministry team can use to reflect on what story God has given your community to share.

Our church grounds and buildings can – and should – be leveraged toward hospitality. Sometimes this is as simple and easy as keeping our doors set open. The Rev. Greg Syler shares his thoughts on fostering a sense of Christian hospitality in our church spaces.

In this webinar, ECF Fellow The Rev. Edmund Harris will explore the theme of storytelling as evangelism. Drawing on his experiences of leading the parish where he serves as rector in a congregational storytelling project over the past year, Edmund will invite participants to consider how sharing stories in their own church contexts might enable people to engage in evangelism that is, to quote Bishop Curry, “genuine and authentic.”

Bishop Deon Johnson speaks of the Christian call to affirm the dignity of all those whom we encounter at church and in our communities – not just to welcome people, but actually to invite them in, to sit with them, converse with them and learn who they are, to celebrate their worth even when we fear what they think or say, how they look or what they represent.

Each month, Episcopal evangelists are invited to join staff officer for evangelism Jerusalem Greer and guest mentors via Zoom to talk about issues around the practice and ministry of evangelism. Monthly topics may include evangelism in a Latino/Hispanic ministry, forming evangelists, small group ministry, evangelism for campus ministry, storytelling, and much more.