Small Membership Churches

Leadership in the Small Congregation Summer Collegium at Virginia Theological Seminary

2009-10-16T13:33:00.000-07:00

Applications are now available for the Summer Collegium, a project in support of small congregations at Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. Clergy (and their spouses or partners) from 25 small churches of all Christian denominations are invited to spend nine days at Virginia Seminary for encouragement, education, rest and renewal. All expenses, including travel, books, meals, lodging, child care at home and pulpit supply, are paid by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.

The theme of the Summer Collegium this year is Leadership in the Small Congregation. Our keynote speaker will be Alice Mann, a prolific writer on congregational ministry, and John Bell from the Iona Community in Scotland will join our worship team for the conference.

The dates for the Summer Collegium are June 23 - July 1, 2010. Application forms are on our website, www.vts.edu/education/collegium or will be sent in the mail by emailing SummerCollegium@vts.edu or by calling 703-461-1760. Applications must be postmarked by December 15, 2009, to be considered.

Marilyn Johns, D. Min.

Project Manager, The Summer Collegium

Virginia Theological Seminary

3737 Seminary Road

Alexandria, Virginia 22304

703-461-1760

www.vts.edu/education/collegium

Virginia Theological Seminary makes resource available

2009-10-14T16:56:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody. I just came across this great link (thanks JC) to a resource provided by Virginia Theological Seminary. It is video of a D.Min class at VTS focusing on applying Family Systems Theory to ministry (think Murray Bowen, Ed Friedman, and Peter Steinke). If you want to learn more about this great material, click on the link below:

http://http://www.vts.edu/podium/default.aspx?t=125409

Enjoy!

Roanridge 2010 Applications Available

2009-06-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

Greetings all,

Grant applications are now being accepted through September 1, 2009 for the 2010 granting cycle of funds through the Roanridge Foundation Trust.

"What is the Roanridge Foundation?" you may ask. Well, it is named for a farm in Missouri which had originally been donated to the Episcopal Church for clergy and laity to develop a deeper understanding of rural and small-town ministry. Eventually the farm was sold, and the proceeds became the corpus of a fund which annually distributes grants specifically for the "training of town and country clergy and rural Christian workers" of the Episcopal Church. In other words, it is for the development of ministry resources for rural and small town settings across the country.

To learn more about the Roanridge Trust... and to access an application, simply click on:

http://www.episcopalchurch.org/smallchurch_51593_ENG_HTM.htm?menupage=51387

I invite you to apply for Roanridge funding for your most creative ministry opportunities.

God's Peace,

Bob Honeychurch

Great story about work in Iowa

2009-05-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

I've posted a link here from the on-line version of the Des Moines (Iowa) Register, which tells the story of St. Anne's Episcopal Church in Ankeny, IA. They are a small church doing some marvelous work with the various immigrant families in their community. Their $25,000 grant comes by way of the Roanridge Trust fund, a pool of funds available to churches across the country through an annual distribution process. New Roanridge Fund applications will be accepted beginning on June 1, 2009. When those applications are available, I'll post another blog letting folks know how to access it. But in the mean time, check out the great stuff happening in Iowa. "Go, St. Anne's"

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090507/NEWS/905070304/1001/NEWS&community=Ankeny

What's a "vital congregation"?

2009-05-04T09:09:00.000-07:00

Based on my experiences, conversations, and insights of working with communities of faith across the country, I have developed the following “definition” of a vital congregation… which is very much a work-in-progress. It is constantly being informed and revised as I continue my conversations across the church. But for the moment, it goes like this:

A vital congregation is a community of faith which:
Invites people to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ
Creates opportunities for personal and corporate transformation
Equips and empowers people for gospel mission in the world

All that said, this definition says nothing about a congregation’s size or budget, whether it is rural or urban, whether it can afford the services of full-time clergy, or what part of the country this church may be located in. In other words, I believe that all congregations have the potential to be “vital” congregations. Let me briefly unpack that definition above just a little (though in reality I could go on and on about it).

“Invites people to become passionate followers of Jesus Christ” I believe that this invitation contains 3 necessary dimensions: Teaching people how to pray; teaching people how to engage the scriptures; and teaching people how to live in community. Lots of congregations tend to dabble in this, but not necessarily in a way that gives each individual member a point of entry into that life of passion.

“Creates opportunities for personal and corporate transformation” If our lives aren’t changed by being a part of a faith community, then what’s the point of being there? I believe that transformation is a two-edged sword as well. Communities of faith are places where my life can be changed, but they’re also places where our life can be changed as well as the holy People of God. Certainly from an Episcopal perspective, one of the primary (although certainly not the only) opportunities we have for transformation is through our worship. I tell worship leaders (lay and ordained) that, when they design and lead a worship service – every worship service they lead – if they are not doing so with the intention that somebody’s life might be changed as a result of that worship service, then they’re wasting their time. Worship has to be a lot more than “going through the motions” if it’s going to have meaning in people’s lives.

“Equips and empowers people for gospel mission in the world” At the end of the day, it isn’t about “me”… it isn’t even about “us.” It’s about fulfilling the Great Commission to “go out into the world.” Vital congregations are those which give people the necessary tools – spiritual, technical, social, emotional, etc. – to ‘be the heart and hands of Jesus in the world”… for it is “in the world” where the church is ultimately called to be. We are not a cloistered community of prayer, defending ourselves from the assaults of the world around us. We are only the Church when we are fully integrated into the lives, the culture, the daily experience of our wider community. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world…” not “For God so loved the church.” And so, in the words of Kennon Callahan, “when the Church is in the world, God is in the church. And when the Church is not in the world, God is still in the world.” And so it is in the world where the Church is called to be.

As you can probably tell, this definition doesn’t provide for many specific metrics to determine how effective a congregation is. It does, however, provide some real-life, incarnated examples of congregational vitality. When I use this definition with groups, we can then play it all out in some detail… out of which we can then develop some evaluative models for how a church measures up to the definition.

Welcoming Abundance!!

2009-03-19T16:35:00.000-07:00

The 2009 Conference on Stewardship, Evangelism, and Congregational Development is being held on May 15-16 at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, CA. If you're looking for a great way to connect with people from across the church (and hang out in San Diego, where the sun always shines), make plans to attend. For more information, visit the Province VIII website at http://provinceviii.org/

2010 Federal Budget -- What's In It for Rural America?

2009-03-19T14:05:00.000-07:00

The Rural Policy Research Institute has drafted a response to the 2010 Federal Budget, looking especially at its impact on life in rural America. Check it out at http://www.rupri.org/leftsidemore.php?selectedid=18

Want to Learn How to be a Farmer or Rancher?

2009-03-19T14:02:00.001-07:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding grant money to encourage the skills of new farmers and ranchers. Check out the link at http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=46027

Check out the Revised Common Lectionary Bible Study Blog

2009-03-19T13:53:00.000-07:00

Sarah Johnson, Associate Program Officer for Older Adult Formation and Resource Ministries, (now, that's a job title, isn't it?) maintains a wonderful weekly Bible Study blog based on the upcoming Sunday readings, utilizing the Revised Common Lectionary. If you're looking for ideas for sermons, wanting to reflect on thoughtful questions, or just get a peek at the lessons coming up this Sunday, do check it out. You'll find it at http://rclbiblestudy.blogspot.com/

Small Church Leadership Conference in North Carolina

2009-03-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a great way to expand your understanding of some of the particular qualities of leadership in small churches -- not to mention getting connected with some other great small church leaders -- consider making the trek out to Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina on May 26-29 to be a part of "The Small Church Leadership Conference." To learn more about this great opportunity, just click on the following link:
http://www.tens.org/articles/pdfs/2009_SCLC_Brochure.pdf

Alban Institute Weekly

2009-03-02T09:54:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the Alban Institute, that great resource for printed materials and conferences, also has a weekly e-newsletter that they distribute FREE OF CHARGE? It's a wonderful way to gain access to some of the most current thought on a wide variety of subjects of particular concern to the church today. This week's lead article entitled, "Ministry in Hard Times" talks about some of the unique challenges and opportunities which confront congregations across the country. The link to the article is:

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=7184

If you like what you see, you can subscribe to the weekly post. Check it out... it's good stuff.

The Rub

2009-02-23T13:27:00.000-08:00

So… here’s the rub. You know the terms – “family, pastoral, program, resource – (and maybe ‘transitional’ thrown in for good measure).” They are the language of congregation size models used throughout the Church. For the past 25 years, since Arlin Rothauge wrote Sizing Up a Congregation, the “gold standard’ for most congregations in the Episcopal Church (not to mention churches in lots of other denominations as well) seems to have been “let’s work toward becoming a Program Size parish.” You see it in parish profiles. You hear it when talking with diocesan staff members. You sense it in the eyes of countless seminarians who are just looking for their first big break as a curate or associate in a Program Church.

So, if it’s such a great model, then why isn’t it working? Churches are cutting their associate positions right and left. Congregations that have languished with an Average Sunday Attendance of between 100 and 150 for the last 50 years have never “gotten over the hurdle”… despite well-meaning clergy and lay leaders; despite every new gimmick, or program, or study, or consultant they’ve tried.

Maybe it’s because “striving to become a Program Church” is a dead model, a style of church more attuned to the Age of Christendom, even though we’re now firmly ensconced in a Post-Christendom world. Let’s face it… “Build it and they will come” can’t be the mantra for the Church of the 21st Century.

So what might take its place? I think that the operative terms for the faith community of the future (and they had better become the operative terms for the faith community of the present, if there are to be faith communities of the future) are no longer “size” or “program offerings”. Instead terms like “flexibility”, “nimbleness”, and “context” should instead be at the forefront of our conversations. Vital communities of faith are asking themselves, “How do we offer the ‘faith once delivered’ in a way that will make a difference in the lives of those around us?” The question needs to be asked in churches of all sizes, in all locations, and of every theological or ecclesiological bent. Those who ask the question – and then are willing to embrace the reality of the answer – are those who will make a difference in the days to come.

From Wayne Schwab

2008-07-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

Pastors and lay leaders . . . empower the laity,
God’s primary agents
of mission in today’s world

Improve your leadership
Deepen your spirituality
Make the Sunday to Monday connection for every member
Meet new colleagues

Member Mission Leadership Institute
October 6-11, 2008

From this 4-plus day event, starting with dinner on October 6 and ending with breakfast on October 11, you will come away with a wholly new way for your congregation and all of its members to understand mission and what it means to be “on mission.”

You will leave better equipped to lead your congregation and its members to embrace more fully what it really means to live as a Christian every day.

Spiritual Life Center at Greenwich, New York
(45 minutes from the Albany Airport)
Registration: $100
Up to 50% travel reimbursement
Space is limited. Register by September 15, 2008

For information: www.membermission.org, click “Training”
or 518-561-1184

NEW SMALL CHURCH PROGRAM OFFICER ANNOUNCED

2008-06-30T07:03:00.000-07:00

Dear Blog friends:

It is with great joy that I announce that the Rev. Robert (Bob) Honeychurch has been named as the new Program Officer who will be serving the small church through the Episcopal Church Center.

Bob Honeychurch currently serves as rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Fremont, California. In addition, he is an Adjunct Instructor in Parish Leadership at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley.

Prior to coming to St. James’ in 2001, he and his wife, the Rev. Sylvia Sweeney, served as co-rectors of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Idaho Falls, Idaho from 1992-2001. During that time he also served for two years as a Regional Missioner for the Diocese of Idaho, serving with the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation. He also served twice as an interim pastor at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Idaho Falls.

A native of Montana, Honeychurch began his ordained ministry in 1984. He served as co-vicar of two mission churches in the Diocese of Montana – St. Luke’s in Libby, and Holy Trinity in Troy – from 1984 to 1992.

Honeychurch received a B.S. degree in Education from Montana State University in 1979, an M.Div. from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in 1984, and a D.Min in Congregational Development from Seabury-Western in 1999.

Honeychurch will begin his ministry at the Church Center, working out of the Omaha regional office, on September 1, 2008. Part of his portfolio will include administering and posting to this blog. There will therefore be a hiatus in postings, but they will resume in early September. If you have any ideas or suggestions in the meantime, Honeychurch can be reached at bhoneychurch@episcopalchurch.org

Evangelism Staff Position!

2008-04-02T09:16:00.000-07:00

STAFF POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Position: Program Officer: Evangelism and Congregational Life
Evangelism Focus

Announcement
Date: March 31, 2008

Closing Date: May 2, 2008

Contact: Delphine de Ternay, Human Resource Generalist
_______________________________________________________________________

The Center for Evangelism and Congregational Life groups together those activities that support dioceses, organizations and congregations to effect Church growth and vitality. The purpose of this work is to further God’s mission by serving and equipping the people of the Episcopal Church.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

With in the Center, the Program Officer focusing on Evangelism is responsible for serving and equipping Episcopal dioceses and congregations as they seek to proclaim Jesus’ message of reconciling love in today’s rapidly changing social context. An approach that includes assisting current Episcopalians to become aware of how God is acting in their lives and equipping them with the ability and desire to articulate this experience is crucial.

The position includes the development of resources, creating and maintaining web sites, planning and implementing trainings and conferences, and speaking at Diocesan and Provincial events. Building collaborative working relationships with existing networks, groups, organizations, committees of General Convention and institutions currently focusing on Evangelism, plus facilitating the formation of new networks where needed are priorities.

This position is based in New York and travel is estimated at 25%-50%.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required for this position and not necessarily the skills you bring to the position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE and SKILLS

A Bachelor’s degree and theological education/training (advanced degree preferred)--ordination not necessary
Thorough knowledge of the Episcopal Church
Willingness/ability to preach at worship services when requested
A heartfelt understanding of Evangelism and the ability to articulate that understanding.
Willingness to collaborate with colleagues with in and across Christian denominations
Effective written, oral and interpersonal skills
Computer literacy

Preferred Job Requirements:
Experience in program development
Bilingual Spanish-English preferred but not mandatory

To apply, submit a cover letter with salary requirements and a resume to eccjobs@episcopalchurch.org and indicate in the subject line “Staff Officer: Publications & Communications”.
Please, no telephone inquiries. Qualified applicants will be contacted.

Salary is commensurate with experience and provides a generous benefits package. Episcopal Church Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and actively seeks applications from members of protected groups.

Position Open!

2008-03-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

STAFF POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Position: ASSOCIATE PROGRAM OFFICER FOR SMALL AND SPECIALIZED CONGREGATIONS (CENTER FOR EVANGELISM & CONGREGATIONAL LIFE)

Announcement
Date: March 19, 2008

Closing Date: April 18, 2008

Contact: Vivian Harrison, Human Resources Manager

The Center for Evangelism and Congregational Life groups together those activities that support dioceses, organizations and congregations to effect Church growth and vitality. The purpose of this work is to further God’s mission by serving and equipping the people of the Episcopal Church.

Within the Center, the Associate Program Officer focusing on Small and Specialized Congregations is responsible for serving and equipping congregations and worshipping communities that are small (those with an Average Sunday Attendance of 70 or less), specialized with regards to setting (including urban and rural settings) and structure (including total/local collaborative ministry, clusters, mergers, and emerging communities.)

Essential responsibilities: The development of resources for these congregations, creating and maintaining web sites, planning and implementing trainings and conferences, and speaking at Diocesan and Provincial events. Priorities include engaging in building collaborative working relationships with existing networks, groups, organizations, committees of General Convention and institutions currently serving small and specialized congregations; and facilitating the formation of new networks where needed.

Qualifications: A Bachelor’s degree and theological education/training (advanced degree preferred); thorough knowledge of the Episcopal Church; an ability to articulate a thorough understanding of Evangelism; experience in multiple congregations and a contextual understandings of congregational development theory; willingness/ability to preach at worship services when requested; willingness to collaborate with colleagues across denominations; effective written, oral and interpersonal skills; computer literacy. Preferred qualifications: experience in program development; English-Spanish fluency.

This position is based in the regional office in Omaha, Nebraska and travel is estimated at 25% - 50%.

Salary is commensurate with experience and includes a generous benefits package. EOE, m/f/d/v encouraged to apply.

To apply, submit a cover letter with salary requirements, a resume and a list of three professional references to eccjobs@episcopalchurch.org and indicate in the subject line: Associate Program Officer, Small and Specialized Congregations.

Please, no telephone inquiries. Qualified applicants will be contacted.

Episcopal Church Center Job Postings

2008-03-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Due to the reorganization and the creation of new jobs at the Episcopal Church Center, there are currently several job openings. Some are up on the site now, some will be posted soon (including the Small and Specialized Congregations position--my previous post which I hope to upload by 3/19), and several more in the future. Some are located in New York, some in Omaha, others in Washington DC, Atlanta, Seattle, and Los Angeles.
If you are interested in a new way of serving God in the Episcopal Church, visit http://episcopalchurch.org/hr.htm for more information.

Easter Sermon from the Archbishop of New Zealand

2008-03-12T13:03:00.000-07:00

The Most Rev. David Moxon, Archbishop of New Zealand, has contributed an Easter sermon for the Sermons That Work series.
(See below and at http://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons_that_work_95564_ENG_HTM.htm .)

Many thanks to Archbishop Moxon for generously accepting the invitation to submit a sermon, and to the editor of this site, Sarah Johnson, Deputy for Congregational Development at the Episcopal Church Center, for her creative work.

March 23, 2008 - Easter Day - Year A [RCL]
By the Most Rev. David Moxon
Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Acts: 10 34-43; Matthew 28: 1-10 The arrest, trial, torture, and crucifixion of Jesus occupy the largest single incident in any one of the four gospels. This incident has been the most widely depicted of everything in Jesus’ life. Every detail of this grisly process seems to have been carefully recorded by the evangelists. The heart-rending details of the final suffering of the Son of God reveal how deep God’s empathy is for the pain and sin of the world and how far the divine love will go to redeem them. Evil in so many forms – political, religious, psychological, and spiritual – poured itself out completely in this event. Yet all these forces exhausted themselves without finally exhausting the faith, hope, and love of God in what happened. In a way, the forces of evil, as powerful as they are, were finally put in their place, exposed as ultimately unreal, and finally overcome in resurrection. The resurrection is the place in human history where evil, injustice, and prejudice are transfigured into justice, goodness, and enlightenment.
However, the details of the resurrection itself are not recorded in Matthew’s account, neither is there an attempt to record them in the other three gospels. What we have are various accounts of the results and fruits of the resurrection, but not any attempt to describe how it happened. This is because no one was present. No one could have anticipated it; the event itself didn’t fit into any of the known categories of knowledge or understanding.
What we have is an event without comparison. You can understand something scientifically today only if you can compare it with something else or with some sort of pattern that already exists. With the resurrection this is not possible: we have an utterly unique, mind-blowing, heart-changing, spirit-restoring mystery of God. The resurrection cannot finally be assessed by human method.
However, various attempts have been made to explain what happened. Here are four of the most common explanations.
It has been suggested that Jesus didn’t really die; instead, he recovered in the tomb, rolled the stone away, and walked out. But this does not square with the known facts we have about the way he died. The Romans knew how to kill people, particularly politically prominent people. A spear was used to impale Christ’s side to make death certain.
Another version of the above explanation is that Christ was offered a highly sedative drug, mixed in the wine that was presented to his lips on a sponge. There were drugs in the Middle East capable of this effect and would have given the impression of death for a time. However, even if this were the case, the use of the spear, preceded by many lashings, would have made him unable to remove the stone or to recover within three days.
It has been suggested that the disciples were lying about the resurrection appearances. This is most unlikely, given that the disciples were not expecting an immediate resurrection in the first place, and they themselves were prepared to meet similar deaths for the Risen Christ in the years that followed. Whatever else the disciples were, they show remarkable courage and integrity. Why spend the whole of your life on something you knew to be untrue? This is how Luke, that careful recorder, summarizes their position in today’s reading from Acts:
“We are witnesses of everything that he did in the land of Israel and in Jerusalem. Then they put him to death by nailing him to a cross. But God raised him from death three days later and caused him to appear, not to everyone, but only to the witnesses that God had already chosen.”
The fourth suggested theory is that the resurrection appearances were grief-induced hallucinations. It is true that some people in deep grief do have a sense of the deceased loved one being present. However, this sense fades over time, whereas experiences of the Risen Christ remain tangible and widespread. Further, hallucinations produced by grief have never resulted in anything like the Christian mission in the world. With the resurrection, there seems to be something much more world-changing and transformative going on.
So what are we left with? None of the above explanations are convincing. In fact, there is no proof either way, in the scientific sense, for or against the resurrection of Christ. In the end, a belief in Easter is a decision of the mind and the heart. It is a choice. You can believe the witnesses who say that something remarkable occurred that has gone on recreating the world ever since by the triumph of life over death, of love over hate, of light over darkness. Or you can believe that the witnesses were mistaken and that life and death, love and hate, light and darkness are evenly matched and that there is no ultimate power for good that is stronger than death.
In the end it is very simple: you either choose to have faith, or you don’t. But the decision you make about Easter will profoundly affect the way you live and other choices you make for the rest of your life. I choose to walk in an Easter light and to live by an Easter faith because I know it brings abundant life and makes intuitive sense even in the middle of death, hatred, and darkness.
The movie “The Body” is a drama about archaeologist who discovers what he believes to be the bones of Jesus in Jerusalem. For much of the story the evidence builds toward a belief that this probably is the body of Jesus and that the idea of resurrection is unreal. At the end of the film, however, it becomes clear that the bones are not those of Jesus. Early in the story, a Jesuit delegate from the Vatican who was sent to investigate the issue says, when thinking about the meaning and reality of the risen Christ:
“I believe that Jesus Christ is God because I spoke to Him this morning in my prayers. And I've known that He was God since I was a boy. He has always been my best friend even though I haven't always been His. In Him, I have peace.”
But how do we speak with the Risen Christ? Through sharing in his banquet where he is present in a communion of bread and wine; by breathing in his Spirit in contemplative prayer; by reading and hearing his thoughts, parables, and visions in the gospels. Christ becomes living bread, life-giving breath, and living word in these ways.
Because the New Testament does not try to explain the mechanics of the Resurrection, neither do we: it cannot be explained. We can only stand under its grace and let it understand us as an unrepeatable miracle of love. Love is its only meaning because love is the only survivor, because God is love all the way through. The only people to whom the Risen Christ appeared were people who loved him – as Luke says, “to the witnesses that God had already chosen.”
The Resurrection, therefore, is made visible and possible for those who experienced it because of the love that was in them, because God is love and because God loved the world so much that he gave Christ to these people in a new and living way. With them, if you believe that love is stronger than death, then you can believe in Easter. We see this in a passage from the book With Roots and Wings by Jay McDaniel, as he describes Thomas Merton’s view of resurrection:
“Christianity may or may not make sense to you, the reader, but perhaps resurrection can make sense. It is a process of being reborn, moment-to-moment, in a freedom that is wise in its sensitivity to the interconnectedness of all things, compassionate in its empathy for all living beings, and centred in the very mystery of God. We understand resurrection when we taste a freedom and freshness that lies in the very depths of our lives. From my perspective as a Christian, this freedom and freshness is the living Christ, the resurrected One. ‘He’ does not have a body that is located in space and time. ‘He’ is more like the wind, or our own breathing, or the sky. The resurrected One is the very freshness of God, the very freedom of Holy Wisdom, as a centre that is within us and beyond us, ever-present yet ever-new. There is a freshness and freedom in the very centre of things. In this freshness and freedom, we find our roots and wings.”
Christ did not raise himself from the death-dealing hatred that killed him; God raised Christ by divine love, in and through the heart love of the disciples, so that the Spirit of God that raised Jesus from death may be divine love alive in us. By this amazing grace we can say:
“I believe that Jesus Christ is God because I spoke to Him this morning in my prayers. And I've known that He was God since I was a boy. He has always been my best friend even though I haven't always been His. In Him, I have peace.”
-- Archbishop David Moxon is the Anglican Archbishop of the seven New Zealand dioceses of the Anglican Church in Aoteoroa, New Zealand, and Polynesia. This co-presiding role is shared with the Archbishop of Aotearoa and the Archbishop of Polynesia. Archbishop David is also the Diocesan Bishop of Waikato, a diocese that occupies a third of the North Island of New Zealand, a position he has held since 1993.

Update on ordering from Abingdon

2008-02-26T07:21:00.001-08:00

From Linda Brindle:

Abingdon is a wholesaler, and does not sell directly to churches or individuals. Maybe you could add a note to your blog telling customers that they will need to order the books from a local Christian bookstore or on line bookstore. Cokesbury.com, Amazon.com, or purchase from the Episcopal bookstore at 815 2nd ave.

Hope this helps!

Linda J. Brindle
Abingdon Press
Northeast Area Sales Representative

New Books for Small Membership Congregations

2008-02-19T06:06:00.000-08:00

Ministry in the Small Membership Church: A Book Series Offered by Abingdon Press

Returning to the office this morning there was a catalog and note from Linda Brindle of Abingdon Press highlighting the book series focusing on ministry in the small membership church.

The current offerings are as follows:

Worshiping in the Small Membership Church (Robin Knowles Wallace)

Christian Education in the Small Membership Church (Karen B. Tye)

Administration in the Small Membership Church (John H. Tyson)

Spiritual Leadership in the Small Membership Church (David Canada)

Pastoral Care in the Small Membership Church (James L. Killen, Jr)

Evangelism in the Small Membership Church (Royal Speidel)

For more information visit www.AbingdonPress.com or call 1.800.251.3320

If you would like to offer a review or a comment on one of these books, please click on the comments link below and post your impression. You may do so anonymously.

Quito!!!

2008-02-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Quito!

Your small church pal is here on her first official meeting with the Executive Council of the Episcopal Church. Why Quito you might ask? Because Quito is part of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Ecuador, one of dioceses located outside the 50 United States. We are indeed an international church, and it has been an enormous privaledge to learn about the ministry and mission of our (small) church brothers and sisters in Christ in this beautiful part of the world.

(For example, today we travelled to different parts of the diocese to work and/or visit various sites. My group toured a primary school that stole my heart--teachers paid the minimum--$200 per month--overseeing 2-3 grades, and parents spending a huge percentage of their income to afford the $56 per month tuition to give their children the gift of a quality education. It is clear that supplies are very limited, yet it is also clear that the teachers understand their work as their ministry. I'm so moved by the entire situation that I can't help but want to help, maybe by trying to find a companion school in the US that could help with used back packs and supplies, or ???)

Obviously my new position is taking heaps of time, but I very much would like to keep the blog fresh and informative. During the search period for a new small church staff person who I envision eventually adminstering this blog, I would very much appreciate hearing about any small church stories or resources you wish to share. Simply send by email, and I will credit you in the posting if you wish. And I'll continue to post what I come across on a weekly (probably Tuesdays) basis.

Blessings, and adios :-)

Suzanne

Big News for Me!!! :-)

2008-01-18T08:08:00.000-08:00

From Episcopal News Service

Directors named for three new Mission Centers

Experienced priests will lead Advocacy, Mission Leadership, Evangelism and Congregational Life work based at Episcopal Church Center.

Continuing to reorganize the Episcopal Church Center staff to achieve new levels of service and collaboration, Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori has named directors for three of four new churchwide Centers for Mission.
Director for the new Advocacy Center is the Rev. Canon Brian J. Grieves, who has led Peace and Justice Ministries at the Church Center since 1988. Concurrently, Grieves will serve as interim director of mission, the Presiding Bishop said, until completion of the search for a successor to the Rev. James Lemler, who has accepted a new position as priest-in-charge of Christ Church, Greenwich, Connecticut.
The Rev. Suzanne E. Watson, the Church Center's staff officer for congregational development, will lead its new Center for Evangelism and Congregational Life, and the Rev. Margaret Rollins Rose, the Church Center's director of women's ministries, is director for the new Center for Mission Leadership, the Presiding Bishop said.
Announced January 10, the appointments are the result of a two-month search process that invited applicants from across the church's 110 dioceses to seek leaders for the new Mission Centers, all of which are based at the Episcopal Church Center, 815 Second Ave., New York City.
The search for the fourth center director, that for Partnerships, remains open.
In announcing the appointments, the Presiding Bishop expressed her appreciation to the new directors for their willingness to serve, and her gratitude for their many gifts and skills.
"We are grateful for all the individuals, internal and external, who applied for these positions," said Linda E. Watt, the Episcopal Church's chief operating officer. "Once again, we are reminded of the wealth of talent, commitment, and expertise with which the Episcopal Church Center is blessed."
Watt added that the work of each director includes an emphasis upon effective on-site management rather than travel away from the Church Center, as well as close relationships with lay and clergy leaders around the Church.
"I am delighted to accept the Presiding Bishop's invitation to inaugurate the new Center for Advocacy," Grieves said. "This will be a challenging but very exciting task. I am enormously grateful for the opportunity.
"We live in a fractured and divided world, and the role of the Church as prophet and healer is central to the mission of God's reconciling work in the world," Grieves added.
Grieves joined the Church Center staff in 1988 and has served three Presiding Bishops as the Episcopal Church's director of Peace and Justice Ministries, an extensive portfolio that includes the work of the Office of Government Relations, and social and economic justice, among other initiatives. Grieves was in 1989 named secretary of the international Anglican Peace and Justice Network and continues in that position.
Before beginning work at the Church Center, Grieves was for 10 years a member of the staff of the Diocese of Hawaii where he also served several congregations. He holds degrees from the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, Berkeley, California, and the University of Hawaii.
In a letter of application for her new work with evangelism and congregational life, Watson wrote: "Seeing the hurt and unmet spiritual hunger of the world today creates in me a strong call to action.... Strengthening congregations' ability to be aware of their part in the greater whole and equipping them with resources to live out their call is my ministry focus."
"I am both humbled and honored by the Presiding Bishop's and the Nominating Committee's selection," Watson said of her new appointment. "My prayer is that God will abundantly bless the dedicated and gifted Mission Center team as we -- in partnership with dioceses, provinces, networks and organizations -- seek to serve God's people. May we together strive to experience, grow in and share Jesus' transformative love in our rapidly changing and spiritually hungry world."
Since joining the Church Center staff in 2006, Watson has specialized in ministries of churches in small communities. She is concurrently priest associate at Christ and Holy Trinity Parish in Westport, Connecticut.
Watson has also served congregations in New Zealand and the Diocese of El Camino Real, California, and was prior to her ordination in 2002 a manager of healthcare programs in Templeton and San Diego, California.
Moving into her new role in Mission Leadership, Rose noted that "empowering and equipping people to claim their leadership in the church, their communities and beyond" has been central throughout her 25 years of ordained ministry. "My gift is helping people imagine possibilities and act on them."
"I am excited to tap the creative energy offered by the four Centers for Mission," Rose said in accepting her appointment to direct the Center for Mission Leadership and its portfolio including theological education, leadership development, and the support and training of missionaries.
"Building on the strong foundation of ongoing work, the fluid matrix of the Centers offers opportunities for collaborative work in developing tools and resources for the whole church," Rose added. "In my new role, I bring the conviction that strong leadership in the church requires a diversity of voices whose conviction to God's reconciling justice empowers us to live out our baptismal call."
Since beginning work in 2003 as director of women's ministries, Rose has worked to launch large initiatives including the work of the Anglican Women's Empowerment organization and its close ties with the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
Rose previously served congregations in Atlanta and the Boston-based Diocese of Massachusetts. While rector of Atlanta's St. Dunstan's Church, Rose worked in leading an Industrial Areas Campaign, the founding of an after-school program for elementary children, an extensive capital campaign. In Boston, she was founding director of the Jubilee Senior Action Center. She holds degrees from Harvard Divinity School and Wellesley College.
Each of the new directors now begins work in shaping the staffing and program of their respective new centers in close collaboration with the Presiding Bishop and other senior managers at the Church Center

Software recommendation?

2008-01-07T09:23:00.000-08:00

Greetings small church bloggers!

I had a call today from a vicar who would like to track membership, attendance, and giving trends on his computer. Do you track your congregation's statistics electronically? If so, which program do you use? Would you recommend it? Why, or why not?

He's going to check back to the blog for answers, so please, even if you've never posted a reply, I encourage you to overcome your shyness and help this vicar out...

And, Happy New Year :-)

Blessings,

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T15:13:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas to all who serve, worship, and grow in Christ's love in (sm)all congregations...

Suz +

FREE LENTEN DEVOTIONAL! ORDER BY 1/14

2007-12-20T12:38:00.000-08:00

FROM EPISCOPAL NEWS SERVICE AND EPISCOPAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT:

Episcopal Relief and Development Announces the Arrival of the 2008 Lenten Devotional

Episcopal Relief and Development is pleased to announce the publication of the 2008 Lenten Devotional, entitled “Seeking to Serve: A Lenten Exploration of the Millennium Development Goals,” by the Rev. Jay Sidebotham, Rector of Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, Illinois.

The devotional features illustrations and meditations on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and offers ways for parishioners to help achieve these life-saving goals.

Serving as a complement to the Daily Office Lectionary, the devotional invites Episcopalians to reflect on the role of God’s grace in our lives and how we may act as instruments of God's healing in a hurting world. The 2008 Lenten Season will be a special one thanks to the Presiding Bishop’s declaration of Sunday, February 10th as Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday.
“We are extremely proud of this year’s publication and its focus on raising awareness of the Millennium Development Goals,” said Robert W. Radtke, ERD President. “We hope that congregations nationwide will support our efforts worldwide to help our neighbors in need by participating in Episcopal Relief and Development Sunday,” said Radtke.

Devotionals are now available. Please order an adequate supply of devotionals and other resources for your congregation as soon as possible.

To order, please call Episcopal Books and Resources at 1.800.903.5544 or visit www.er-d.org/lent. CONGREGATIONS PAY ONLY FOR SHIPPING AND HANDLING.

To ensure delivery by Ash Wednesday, February 6th, orders for 2008 Lenten Devotionals must be placed by January 14th.