The Episcopal Church Foundation’s Vital Practices (ECFVP) website offers resources, inspiration, and instructional webinars to guide leaders in discernment, specific roles (senior warden, stewardship chair, etc.), and best practices (more efficient meetings, managing debt, etc.). You can receive a monthly newsletter via email, follow ECFVP on Facebook, or register to join with other leaders across the nation in a wide variety of online learning opportunities with experts and peers.
ECFVP Webinars for March include the following:
- Communications for Episcopal Leaders (March 6, 2014, 6-7pm CT)
- Focusing on the need for leaders to communicate effectively, this webinar is geared toward lay and clergy leaders of Episcopal congregations. It will explore basic principles and best practices for 1) building engagement within and beyond the congregation and 2) communicating effectively around major decisions and/or changes in the life of the congregation. Presented by Nancy Davidge, ECF Associate Program Director and editor of ECF Vital Practices. Click here to learn more and register.
- The American Born Latino: An Expanding Mission Field in the Episcopal Church (March 25, 2014, 6-7pm CT)
- Assimilated, English-dominant, and bicultural Latinos born in this country represent about 65% of the Latino population, not counting those Latino children who have been brought into the country at a very early age. However, most of our evangelistic endeavors are aimed primarily at the immigrant segment of the Hispanic/Latino population. This webinar will explore the approaches to reach the English dominant Latino population, which open up ministry opportunities for church leaders not fully fluent in Spanish but who have the call to minister in this cross-cultural, emerging mission field. Presented by 2013 ECF Fellow, the Rev. Al Rodriguez. Click here to learn more and register.
- Walking The Way: Essential Steps in Planning Your Annual Giving Campaign (March 26, 2014, 6-7pm CT)
- This web conference will take you step by step through a planning process for an annual giving campaign that integrates best practices in raising funds and raising disciples. Using the Walking The Way Stewardship Narrative Series as a road map, the Rev. Laurel Johnston, executive director of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) will guide and walk alongside you in your stewardship journey. Click here to learn more and register.
- Leading a Major Change (April 8, 2014, 6-7pm CT)
- Leading change can be one of the most rewarding – and challenging – aspects of lay and clergy leadership in Episcopal congregations. This web conference focuses on general principles and best practices for leading a change process effectively, and will highlight examples of Episcopal congregations that have led change processes effectively. Presented by ECF Program Director Miguel Escobar. Click here to learn more and register.