Congregational development
Brian McLaren addresses General Convention on Evangelism
Evangelism is about making disciples of Jesus Christ, not making Episcopalians! [here]
Five Marks of Mission
Over twenty years ago, in 1984, the Anglican Consultative Council put forward a basic notion of the Christian mission in general. The five marks of mission are:
- To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom
To teach, baptize and nurture new believers
To respond to human need by loving service
To seek to transform unjust structures of society
To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth [more]
Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs
Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs A comprehensive, user-friendly manual which supports the increasingly complex work of all treasurers and parish administrators. Includes forms, such as the Parochial Report Form, with instructions. File Size: 4 MB [here]
Congregational Resource Guide
An effort of the Alban Institute in consultation with the Indianapolis Center for Congregations and other specialists, the Congregational Resource Guide (CRG) exists to help congregational leaders connect with resources that will enable them to face challenges and foster vitality in their communities of faith.
The Life Cycle in Congregations
life cycles The Life Cycle in Congregations A Process of Natural Creation And An Opportunity For New Creation: Congregational Vitality Series 2 [Details] [Download]
Visit the U.S. Census Bureau [here]Check out ZIPSkinny & see US Census data & comparisons with neighboring Zips, [here]
Studying your congregation and community
In order to know who you are, you need to examine where you are and where you have been. Looking at the social and demographic characteristics of the local community sheds light on the people to which we hope to minister. Looking at trends in membership, average worship attendance, and financial giving sheds light on congregational strength and whether current patterns indicate growth, decline or stability. By following the instructions [here], you can display and print two charts and a community demographic profile. The two charts track membership, participation, and giving over the most recently available eleven years for your congregation and your diocese. These data are from annual Parochial Reports. The community demographic profile will give you a demographic overview of the zip code area in which your church is located. Only one zip code profile will be displayed. Profiles of additional zip code areas are available from the research office, congregational development.
Evangelism for Episcopalians
(who don’t want to go there) by Ben E. Helmer
The word, Evangelism, comes from the Greek word that refers to proclaiming (the) Good News. What most people know is that it has become a by-word for folks who are insistent on making others see God and Jesus the way they do, and it is often associated with slick preaching and door knocking. [read more]
Ten tips for congregational development
Actions Steps for Growth and Vitality by Ben E. Helmer [read more]
What about Via Media?
via media is video enhanced curricula designed to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ Jesus and to present the Episcopal Church in a contemporary . . . . [read more]
Bulletin Inserts
Weekly Bulletin inserts are meant as a teaching tool. Episcopal Life Online offers weekly bulletin inserts for congregations. They will give your congregants information about the Episcopal Church and its mission and ministry.
