Change

By Lee Curtis
In Critical Missions: Stabilizing and Supporting Small Congregations, Lee Curtis tells the story of the Diocese of Rio Grande and their work with ECF and the Lilly Endowment “Bridges to the Future” grant, which enabled them t…
By Van Sheets
Saying goodbye to a beloved rector and starting the process of seeking a new one can be an unsettling journey. In Invite the Holy Spirit, Van Sheets shares some practical methods to work together, and spiritual ways to includ…
By Susan Elliott
For some congregations, transition means giving up the familiar structure of full-time clergy as well as their understanding of the way authority and tasks are distributed. Susan Elliott’s “From Challenge to Opportunity” sha…
By Donald V. Romanik
What will our Episcopal church look like in 100 years? Numbers and trends suggest a drastic makeover is in order. In New Leadership for a Changing Church, ECF President Donald V. Romanik, alerts us to the swiftly changing lan…
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 Nancy Davidge as told by Edgar Gutierrez-Duarte
How does a congregation live into its sacred role as a healer?
By Miguel Escobar
Miguel Escobar shares a tool that helps vestries and other leadership groups think through the strengths and weaknesses of an idea as a team.
By Nathan Kirkpatrick
Can inexperience be a desirable quality in a candidate? In Would You Hire a Job Candidate with an Unconventional Background?, Nathan Kirkpatrick examines how we typically fill leadership roles in the Church, and asks us to co…
By Hope Eakins
What are best practices for periods of transition? In Good Transitions, Hope Eakins shares lessons from her experience as an Interim rector, offering suggestions for both congregations and priests on how to be open to change,…
By Donald Romanik
One of the most difficult things to do in any work setting is letting someone go. In Firing an Employee the Right Way, Donald Romanik tackles termination in a church context, suggesting ways to avoid unnecessary conflict and …
By Meghan Froehlich
The Office for Transition Ministry provides support to clergy, laity, bishops and Diocesan Transition Ministers throughout the Episcopal Church, guiding people through times of discernment and calling. In Breathe and Carry On…
By Victor Conrado and Louisa McKellaston
While transitions are disruptive, they can also be times of increased energy, activity and even evangelism. In No Time to Hibernate, Victor Conrado and Louisa McKellaston share ideas for developing your church while making th…
By Cathie Caimano
Across our church congregations wrestle with decisions related to clergy staffing. Recognizing many congregations may associate moving to part time clergy a ‘failure. ‘ Cathie Caimano suggests reframing the conversation by as…
By Nelson Serrano
In A Young Person in a Young Church, Nelson Serrano narrates his experience of the Episcopal Church as a millennial in Colombia, telling us how a church that values the young becomes youthful and vibrant in its ideas and acti…
By Luisa Bonillas
Change can be deeply painful, especially when it affects our emotional and spiritual wellbeing. In Conflict and Change, Luisa Bonillas describes the impact of difficult change in her church and what she learned from the exper…
By Adriane Bilous
In Shepherding Change, Adriane Bilous offers real stories of change, shared by participants in ECF’s Congregational Leadership Initiative program, that provide practical advice on how to tackle difficult changes in ministry.
By Alissa Newton
Can satisfaction be an impediment to positive change? In Satisfied Churches Don’t Change, Alissa Newton narrates a personal story of how dissatisfaction becomes a powerful way to move change forward.
By Charis Bhagianathan
In this issue, we bring you stories and ideas for tackling difficult change with positive results.
By Charis Bhagianathan
In this issue, we bring you experiences and experiments from across our Church on being open to the exciting and wonderful possibilities change offers us as a community.
By Melissa Rau
Why is change so difficult? In Only Change Begets Change, Melissa Rau asks some hard questions about our anxiety around change and suggests approaches to create a healthy framework for change that focuses on innovation, colla…