Committees,
Commissions, and Boards: Congregational Development
Our commitment is to develop and equip disciples for their
ministry, that will make each congregation thrive and flourish
to the glory of God, so that every church in our diocese
will go forth in mission in the world!
Resources for Congregational Development
Discipleship
Becoming Disciples Through Bible Study: four 34 week sessions that use a workbook, videos, teaching resources, and trained facilitators. www.cokesbury.com (go to the "Disciple" tab) 1-800-251-8591
Bible Reading Fellowship: Offers resources for individual or group Bible reading; P. O. Box 380, Winter Park, Florida 32790 www.biblereading.org 1-800-749-4331
Contemplative Outreach Ltd: Provides resources for centering prayer and other contemplative practices from the tradition taught by Thomas Keating, as well as information regarding workshops and conferences. Contact: P.O. Box 737, 10 Park Place, Suite 2B, Butler, NJ 07405 www.centeringprayer.com Office: 973-838-3384 Bookstore: 1-800-608-0096
Disciples of Christ in Community (DOCC): Using the small group method, this 21 week Christian education/formation program builds the Christian community while fostering spiritual growth. Administered by the Washington National Cathedral. The Rev. Canon William H. Barnwell docc@cathedral.org 1-202-537-5522
Education for Ministry: Working with a trained mentor, participants receive theological education at a distance. Developed by the School of Theology of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. efm@sewanee.edu Diocesan coordinator: The Rev. Lisa Mitchell, ChristChurchShrewsbury@att.net 1-732-741-2220
Kerygma: Adult Bible Studies with a Difference. Ecumenical Bible study resources that come in seasonal, thematic, survey or individual book formats. Contact: 300 Mt. Lebanon Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA. 15234 explore@kerygma.com 1-800-537-9462
Congregational Development
The Alban Institute: consultants, publications; 2121 Cooperative Way Suite 100 Herndon, VA 20171 www.alban.org 1-800-486-1318
Church Development Institute: "An intensive leadership training program in congregational development for clergy and lay leaders of the Episcopal Church and Anglican Communion." CDI offers workshops and courses sponsored by CDI Trainers. They also offer consultation services. www.cditrainers.org Bevan Stanley BevanStanley@aol.com 1-973-379-2898; Robert Gallagher odct@comcast.net
Clergy Leadership Institute: Appreciative Inquiry coaching and consultation; www.clergyleadership.com 503-647-2382
Leadership Training Institute. "The Leadership Training Institute offers programs that enable leaders to function more effectively in their work with parishes and other organizations; to improve their competence for working with others, facilitating teams, and designing meetings, educational events and programs." Contact: Robert Gallagher; odct@comcast.net 1-206-285-4647; www.congregationaldevelopment.com/LTI_home.htm
Natural Church Development. Based on research of 40,000 churches worldwide, NCD "is all about releasing the potential that God has already implanted in our lives." It uses "universal principles" in approaching congregational ministry. Materials: ChurchSmart Resources, 3830 Ohio Avenue, St. Charles, IL 60174-5462; www.churchsmart.com 1-800-253-4276. Program information: ncd international.org/public/PartnersUSA.html
Order of Ascension. Members take a three year promise "to seek the presence of Jesus Christ in the people, things and circumstances of life through stability, obedience and conversion of life." Their ministry focus is on the revitalization of parishes. Contact: Greg Rickel, president, grickel@grandecom.com. Or see orderoftheascension.org/
Project on Congregations of Intentional Practice. The Project began as a study of vital American mainline-Protestant congregations, which revealed a new practice emerging among churches: spiritual growth of the community becomes central while maintaining historical church practices. Articles can be downloaded and books ordered on study results. Contact: Project on Congregations of Intentional Practices, 3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria, VA 22304 703 461-1730; pcip@vts.edu.
Outreach
Clothing the Naked: King’s Things Thrift Shop in Swedesboro begun by four area churches in 1983. Provides inexpensive clothing and assistance to people in need. Contact Trinity Church at 1-856-467-1227
Feeding the Hungry: weekly feeding program at St. Peter’s Church, Spotswood, operating since 1993. Offers a free supper once a week to whoever comes. Contact church for help setting up: 1-732-251-2449
Groundwork: Digging Deep for Change and Growth. episcopalchurch.org/groundwork
Network: Understanding God’s Design for You in the Church: an eight session course designed to help people identify their passion, spiritual gifts, and personal style so that they can determine where they will be most effective and energized in ministry. Contact: Zondervan, 5300 Patterson SE Grand Rapids, MI 49530 zondervan.com 1-800-727-3480
Regional Youth Ministry: Development, leadership and assistance available from Kep Short, Diocesan Youth Director, kshort@newjersey.anglican.org 1-877-394-5281, ext. 36 www.newjerseyyouth.org
Stephen Ministries: "The mission of Stephen Ministries is to help congregations equip God's people for spiritual growth and Christ-centered, practical ministry in today's world." www.stephenministries.org
Training of Lay Eucharistic Visitors to extend the altar by bringing Holy Communion directly from Sunday Worship to the homebound. One of the regional clergy could provide the training, and a regional coordinator could handle scheduling.
Evangelism
Advertise what you are doing, especially joint ventures in local newspapers and on Christian Radio.
Alpha: "A ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and relevance of the Christian faith to your life today. It is a practical introduction to the basics of Christianity centered around a meal, a talk and small group discussion." Order resources from Alpha, 74 Trinity Place, 9th floor, New York, NY 10006; info@alphausa.org 1-888-949-2574 http://www.alphana.org
Emmaus: The Way of Faith. A 15-week course designed to help churches welcome people into the Christian faith and the life of the Church. The course progresses through three stages: contact, nurture and growth. It covers the basics of Christian life and four growth books that offer Christians an opportunity to deepen their understanding of Christian living and discipleship. www.e-mmaus.org.uk/emm_index.asp
Via Media: Evangelism for the Episcopal Church. A tool for evangelism designed to proclaim the Good News of God in Jesus Christ and to present the Episcopal Church in a contemporary context. Contact: 2601 Mission St. #410, San Francisco, California 94110; http://www.everyvoice.net/. 1-415-550-8007
Fellowship
Advertise each others functions in your parish newsletters. Have one person serve as a regional editor of a one-page insert for your worship bulletins on the third Sunday of each month.
Atlantic City Mission Board Series: Plan dinner and teaching series in churches during the weeks in Lent. Used successfully to build community by the churches of the Atlantic City Mission Board. Contact the Rev. David Laquintano of Holy Trinity Church, Ocean City; rector@holytrinityoc.org 1 609 399-1019.
Life Attitudes: A five session course on the Beatitudes for Lent: A study course by Sue Mayfield and Robert Warren encapsulates the teaching of Jesus. This course encourages Christians to examine their lifestyle in the light of Jesus’ radical teaching and to live out these kingdom values now. www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2381287
Life Balance: A five session course on rest, work and play: A Lenten course by Sue Mayfield and Robert Warren which explores achieving balance for those with hectic lifestyles, asking how ‘Sabbath attitudes’ can transform the way we spend our time. www.chpublishing.co.uk/product.asp?id=2387535
Small Group resources available for home meetings of groups that will include Bible study, sharing, prayer, and mission projects. Available from: Serendipity House, 117 10th Avenue N., Nashville, Tennessee 37234 www.SerendipityHouse.com 1-800-525-9563
Walking the Mourners Path: an eight-week Christ-based support group intended for those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one. Executive Director is the Rev. Danielle Morris. www.mournerspath.com or contact All Saints Episcopal Church, 338 East Lyman Ave., Winter Park, FL 32789 or 1-407-647-3413.
Worship
Church Publishing Company. The publishing arm of the Episcopal Church. Contact: Church Publishing Incorporated, 445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016; www.churchpublishing.org; or 1 800-242-1918.
Cyberhymnal. Over 5,500 Gospel songs and hymns online: cyberhymnal.org
The Daily Office. A web-based source for downloading Morning and Evening Prayer services, lectionary, and devotionals. Materials can also be downloaded into hand-held devices. www.missionstclare.com/english/
Office for Liturgy and Music, the Episcopal Church Center. Provides support for liturgy and music. www.episcopalchurch.org/lm/
Oremus Hymnal. An online hymnal for hymns used in the Anglican Communion. www.oremus.org/hymnal/
Taize. A service centered on praying together and meditative singing. www.taize.fr/en Order materials from GIA Publications.
Cluster Ministries
Cooperating Congregations: Portraits of Mission Strategies: by Gilson A. C. Waldkoenig and William O. Avery, Alban Institute publication, 1999. "Transitioning communities are challenging congregations to develop unique, creative strategies for remaining open for ministry. Based on an intensive study of five cooperative ministry ventures, this thought-provoking book looks at how each takes a unique approach in addressing its own mission context." Available from The Alban Institute 2121 Cooperative Way Suite 100 Herndon, VA 20171 www.alban.org 1-800-486-1318
Consider a regional fundraising event to gather initial funding for these training events. Art Auctions or other large scale events can raise $3,000-$10,000.
Form ministry clusters around each area you want to develop. Have them come together and brainstorm, review resources, develop a plan and budget for training leaders, and a schedule for offering the programs. Perhaps each church would like to become a central location for one of the ministries. Request representative support for the budget from the participating congregations.
Useful tools
Life Cycle Presentations and Congregational Vitality Series: on the Episcopal Chuch web site
Studying Your Congregation and Community: PERCEPT (on the Episcopal Church web site)