• Vestry Discernment Process As a new rector in the 1990s, Janie Kirt Morris knew that she wanted a prayerful process for raising up healthy, faithful leaders for the congregation. She attended conferences and listened to wise observations from experienced lay and clergy leaders and over time created a process that has helped us at Emmanuel Episcopal Church in Houston. Here are some of the tools she had developed - and refined - to help with the vestry discernment process.
  • Crisis Preparedness: Making a Plan Is your congregation prepared for a crisis? Do you have a written, easy to access guide for dealing with a crisis? Are your staff and congregational leaders familiar with/trained to deal with a crisis should it arise?
  • Helping and Healing Resources (Children) Knowing where to turn for quality resources is important during times of tragedy or crisis. This short list includes resources designed for helping adults offer healing and comfort to children.
  • Would Christmas Disappear? (Ad) Video is a great way to catch people's attention, especially on social media. Here's a simple - yet effective - Christmas ad that you could produce with a phone camera, scissors, and colored paper.
  • 2012 Advent Calendar This devotional calendar follows the liturgical season, beginning of the First Sunday of Advent and concluding on Christmas Eve. Each day features a scripture reading and suggested devotion.
  • Web Conference: Creating Strong Teams View a recording of the web conference Creating Strong Team Structure that provides steps and tools for developing a strong, committed, and productive team.
  • DayPack: Bible Passages by Text DayPack is a free tool from the American Bible Society that makes it easy for churches to schedule and send a week’s worth of Biblical passages by text message.
  • Web Conference: Out of Many, One Resources on ECF Fellow Rosa Lindahl Mallow's innovative work in Florida to merge three very different congregations into one: large suburban, Latino storefront, and small financially struggling.
  • Visitor Pew Card A simple guide to our liturgy for newcomers and visitors.
  • Pet Blessings Many congregations recognize the Feast of St. Francis by offering some form of blessing of the animals. Here's a collection of resources from across the Episcopal Church.