Administration
By Cathie Caimano
What could sustainable part-time ministry look like? In Serving Congregations Sustainably, Cathie Caimano describes the fundamentals of how small changes to an established model can be life-giving, transformative and hopeful.…
By ECF and Pattie Christensen
This article readers to the church-wide lay employee pension system.
By Martha Goodwill
It's valuable for congregational leaders to have – and practice – good internal controls. Martha Goodwill offers four specific actions every congregation should adopt.
By Tyler D. Schleicher
As a new treasurer, Tyler Schleicher quickly discovered that he needed to get up to speed quickly and, at the same time, find ways to make the role more manageable .
By David Vryhof, SSJE
Using the monastic Rule of Life as a guide, Br. David Vryhof shares how vestries and other leaders can develop a covenant to both form and function well as a group.
By Jeff Bartee
The vestry at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church was in danger of burning out. Something had to give. In “SWEEPS Out Burnout,” senior warden Jeff Bartee shares the steps church leaders took to reframe vestry leadership, drawing o…
By Neva Rae Fox
In “Warden’s Work,” Neva Rae Fox lifts up the warden’s role as evangelist, sharing stories from conversations with current and former wardens in the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles.
By Lucy Owens
Impressed by the warmth, friendliness, and joy found throughout the Grace-St. Luke’s website, I invited Lucy Owens to share their approach with our readers. In “Weaving Story Into All We Do,” Lucy describes a congregation tha…
By Melissa Rau
Things may seem okay, but there are warning signs of potential decline lurking in many seemingly successful congregations that are staff dependent. This article helps Identify issues and steps to help get started with changes…
By Steve Follos
Regular evaluation of all of a church’s insurance policies is an important part of the vestry’s responsibilities. This article looks at types of liability insurance that every congregation should consider
By Steve Follos
Whether a broken stained glass window or a storm takes the roof off the church, here are recommendations for vestries to consider when evaluating property and casualty insurance plans.
By Donald Schell
In 1987, my teenage daughter was attending a Catholic girls school in San Francisco, and she and her schoolmates were recruited to serve as ushers for Pope John Paul II’s Mass at Candlestick Park, the baseball stadium where t…
By ECF and Laurie Kazilionis
In July 2009, the 76th General Convention passed Resolution A177, establishing the Denominational Health Plan (DHP), a Church-wide program of health care benefit plans requiring equal access to and funding of health care plan…
By Bonnie Anderson
Bonnie Anderson 'connects the dots' from our revolutionary roots to today's vesty.
By Erin Weber-Johnson
Opinions vary as to whether or not ordained leaders of faith communities should be familiar with what parishioners are pledging. Erin Weber-Johnson reached out to her church campaign colleagues and asked them to share their e…
By David Perkins
As a teenager David Perkins was called as a Baptist minister. Years later, he joined the Episcopal Church, in part because of its governance.
By William A. Doubleday
In “Knowledge is Power,” William Doubleday introduces congregational leaders to the resources available to them in Canon 7: Of Business Methods in Church Affairs.
By Ronald D. Pogue
“Being on the Same Page” by Ron Pogue, reminds us of the value of our congregation’s governing documents and how they can be a useful tool for decision making.
By Alberto Cutié
Alberto Cutié shares key differences in governance between the Episcopal and Roman Catholic churches. Available in both Spanish and English.
By Sheryl A. Kujawa-Holbrook
“Our Story” by Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook explores the roots of our democratic style of governance and invites us to consider ways to balance an organization’s need for order with its equally important need for creativity and ris…