Leadership News (Page 55)
Transitions can be exciting and life-giving
Joseph Duggan, an Episcopal priest and fellow of the Episcopal Church Foundation, has created a Facebook page, “Congregational Seasons: A Resource for Transitions,” dedicated to supporting congregations in transition through resources, networking and best practices. It celebrates creative people around The Episcopal Church who have the vision and resources to assist congregations towards becoming vital and viable.
January spotlight on congregations
What has the diocese and the larger church done for your congregation lately? Thanks to the work of St. Alban’s Arlington and the Episcopal Church Building Fund (ECBF), several congregations are banding together to participate in ECBF’s “Recasting Church Assets” project. Is your congregation interested? Contact Demi Prentiss, ministry developer (email removed), or Amy Haynie, InReach coordinator (email removed).
Connect to Vital Practices via the web
Episcopal Church Foundation’s webinar offerings in February deal with stewardship practices and preparing a congregation for a clergy transition. Take advantage of these free/low-cost, high-impact webinars: Two Part Fresh Start Series on Leading Through a Clergy Transition, Part 1 Reacting to Change (Feb. 19, 6-7pm CT) (Part 2, Feb. 25 – see below) – This two-part series is aimed at vestry members and other congregational leaders who are currently or will soon be leading their congregation through a clergy transition. To lead…
Document your congregation’s tax-exempt status
If your congregation wants to have documentation of the IRS recognition of its tax exempt and charitable exempt status under the Episcopal Church’s General Exemption Number (GEN), be sure to submit a vestry/bishop’s committee resolution to Eleanor Doty (contact information removed) in the diocesan office. Chancellor Kathleen Wells has drafted resolutions for each church, which were sent out late in 2012. Responses have already been received from St. Alban’s Arlington, All Saints’ Fort Worth, Christ The King Fort Worth, St. Elisabeth’s…
Executive council implementing Canon 10
The changes made “on paper” with the passage of a revised Canon 10 during the November 2012 diocesan convention are becoming a reality, as the diocese’s executive council (EC) works to pioneer new ways of working together. Five representatives elected from each deanery – dean, sub-dean, two lay reps and one clergy rep – have already participated in two two-day sessions aimed at establishing more participatory, transparent, and accountable ways of engaging in the EC’s work. The December EC retreat…
Grow your leadership skills, build your networks
Now’s the time to register for the March 2 diocesan leadership workshop, set for 9:30am to 3:30pm at St. Luke’s in the Meadow (4301 Meadowbrook Dr., Fort Worth). The Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr. will present the opening and closing sessions, and present two workshops, targeting what every senior warden should know and how congregations can grow in stewardship. In addition to a workshop session in the morning and another in the afternoon, participants will have the opportunity to enjoy…
Leaders gather for strategic planning Jan. 25-26
Continuing the work begun last August with Donald Romanik, president of the Episcopal Church Foundation, diocesan leaders will gather Jan. 25-26 to engage the “big questions” faced by the diocese. Members of the diocese’s executive council, standing committee, corporation trustees, and trustees for the endowment of the episcopate have all been invited to attend, joining the original group which convened in August. Together these diocesan leaders will engage key questions which surfaced during the initial session: Why does the Diocese…
Stalcup School offers engaging seminars
Brite Divinity School’s Stalcup School of Theology for the Laity will sponsor a seminar, “The Faithful Struggle to Forgive,” on Saturday, Jan. 19. Led by Brite vice president and dean Joretta Marshall, the presentation is scheduled from 9am to 1:45pm at Acton United Methodist Church, 3433 Fall Creek Highway in Granbury. This seminar will engage participants in wrestling with the call of forgiveness in our lives even as it seeks to unpack the complexity of forgiveness in diverse contexts and…
Leadership workshop in March
Mark your calendar and plan to attend the March 2 diocesan leadership workshop, 9:30am to 3:30pm at St. Luke’s-in-the-Meadow (4301 Meadowbrook Dr., Fort Worth). The Rt. Rev. Rayford B. High, Jr., bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth, will offer the opening and closing plenary addresses, and will also lead two workshops: a session specifically for senior wardens, and a session on stewardship as a year-long, congregation-wide practice. Other workshops will include sessions on money management for congregations, communications,…