August 26, 2014 News
ECF Web Conferences: Fall 2014
As part of ECF's on-going efforts to assist congregations in developing their leadership and financial resources, we are offering a wide range of web conferences for clergy and lay parish leaders this fall . There is no cost to participate in ECF's web conferences and all lay and clergy leaders are welcome to participate.
Topics include stewardship, leading change, endowments, ECF's new program, Vital Teams, capital campaigns, planned giving, and more.
- Basics of a Capital Campaign (September 9, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
A successful capital campaign raises more than money. It raises up new leadership, better communication, and a stronger spiritual community. This webinar will provide a step-by-step understanding of the methodology that has led hundreds of Episcopal parishes to success using a flexible three phase process: Discernment, Feasibility Study, and the Gifting Phase. Learn how to prepare for and execute a campaign for your church. All lay and clergy leadership are welcome to participate. Presented by Leslie Pendleton, ECF Associate Program Director.
Click here to learn more and register. - Las Campañas Anuales de la Mayordomía (September 16, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
Más que la recaudación de fondos para satisfacer las necesidades del presupuesto operacional de la parroquia, las campañas anuales de mayordomía son una oportunidad para nutrir y hacer crecer nuestra fe. En este webinar se discutirán las formas más efectivas para prepararse, contar su historia, motivar la membresía, y desarrollar campañas exitosas. Presentado por el Rev. Juan Ángel Monge, Asesor de ECF, Diócesis de Puerto Rico.
Click here to learn more and register. - Stewardship in the New Millennium (September 17, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
Demographic and social changes are affecting giving to religious institutions nationwide. This workshop will walk you through these changes and show you how to apply this knowledge for stronger, more effective stewardship programs. Presented by Erin Weber-Johnson, ECF Financial Resource Consultant.
Click here to learn more and register. - Holy Shift: Strategic Thinking for Congregations (September 18, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
How we are responding to the rapid pace of change throughout the Church and in the world around us, and how we can be proactively addressing it? With change happening at an ever increasingly rapid pace around us, congregations can no longer afford to strategically plan five, ten, or even more than a year or two ahead. Yet by embracing a holy shift into thinking strategically, congregations can begin to get unstuck and move into having relevant, meaningful, and vital conversations and effectively plan for the future. In this webinar, led by ECF President Donald Romanik, we will cover ways leaders in congregations can begin to enter into intentional conversation, listening, and reflection to facilitate strategic thinking.
Click here to learn more and register. - Vestries: The Next Six Months (September 23, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
Fall and winter are busy times for vestries in the Episcopal Church. This one-hour webinar will provide an overview of free, online resources and exemplary practices in the following areas:
- Jump starting your annual stewardship campaign
- Nominating and electing new vestry members
- Preparation for the annual meeting, vestry orientation, and first vestry retreat
This webinar will be presented by ECF staff and will draw on a variety of resources including stories, tools, and webinar recordings available on ECF Vital Practices (www.ecfvp.org). ECF will provide practiceal resources in each of these topic areas that can be used for discussion at vestry meetings or other congregational leadership settings. Please note that this webinar will provide an overview of ideas, practices, and resources, but will not be able to into significant depth due to the one-hour time constraint. Presented by ECF staff.
Click here to learn more and register. - The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) presents: Generations Walking the Way (September 24, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
Multiple generations walk the way of Jesus each with a distinct footprint and cadence. Join us as we explore the nuances of using the TENS' Stewardship Resource Series: Walking the Way to appeal to a variety of generational thoughts and practices. We will address overall strategies of an annual commitment campaign as well. Presented by the Rev. Angela Emerson and the Rev. J. R. Lander
Click here to learn more and register. - Vital Teams: What do Vital Leadership Teams Do? (September 25, 2014, 7pm-8pm EDT)
Becoming a vital leadership team begins with discernment in community. On Thursday September 25th at 7 PM ET the Rev. Ronald Byrd, Lead Consultant for Vital Teams, will facilitate a panel discussion concerning what vital teams do and how to discern if the team leadership approach to ministry is appropriate for your unique ministry context.
Panelist include Daniel Vélez-Rivera, Vicar of St. Gabriel´s Episcopal Church in Leesburg, VA; Deb Shamlin, Christian educator and vestry clerk at St. Paul’s, Diocese of OH; Jane Cisluycis, Diocese of Northern Michigan; Lynn Schmissrauter, Congregational Consultant for Team Leadership Development
We encourage lay and clergy leaders considering team ministry to participate in this discussion, where we will look at what it means to be a vital team and the ways to which team ministry can be an effective and efficient approach to ministry in various kinds faith communities.
Click here to learn more and register. - Evangelism: Mission Impossible? (September 30, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
The church has a tough time competing for community when today’s world has so many alternatives. Mission and evangelism are inseparable tasks of the church restart if is to have any chance of success. This web conference focuses on the challenges of the mission and evangelism of the church restart process. Topics covered include key definitions, ideas for getting started and the St. James’ Experiment, creative ways of being instead of doing evangelism. This is intended for individuals and groups who are looking to build community with the actual community. Presented by 2012 ECF Fellow, the Rev. Eric McIntosh
Click here to learn more and register. - Integrating Annual Giving, Capital Campaigns, & Planned Giving (October 1, 2014, 7:00-8:00 PM EDT)
If you worry about “always asking for money” in your congregation, this webinar is for you. Far from competing for the same dollars, annual, capital, and planned giving programs should complement each other to build vibrant current ministries while ensuring their future. We’ll show you how, complete with a sample timeline for building your own integrated funding programs. Presented by Terri Mathes, ECF Senior Program Director.
Click here to learn more and register. - Vestries: The Next Six Months (October 7, 2014 7pm-8pm EDT)
Fall and winter are busy times for vestries in the Episcopal Church. This one-hour webinar will provide an overview of free, online resources and exemplary practices in the following areas:
- Jump starting your annual stewardship campaign
- Nominating and electing new vestry members
- Preparation for the annual meeting, vestry orientation, and first vestry retreat
This webinar will be presented by ECF staff and will draw on a variety of resources including stories, tools, and webinar recordings available on ECF Vital Practices (www.ecfvp.org). ECF will provide practical resources in each of these topic areas that can be used for discussion at vestry meetings or other congregational leadership settings. Please note that this webinar will provide an overview of ideas, practices, and resources, but will not be able to go into significant depth due to the one-hour time constraint. Presented by ECF staff.
Click here to learn more and register. - Basics of Endowment (October 15, 2014- 7pm-8pm EDT)
This workshop reviews basic principles and best practices for endowment management. You will examine important, and easy to use, documents to use for structuring your endowment and for clarifying its purpose. Participants will also learn about endowment policies and investment options which not only seek to protect an existing endowment, but will demonstrate how endowments can be used as to enhance your ministries and overall mission, and build trust and confidence among your potential donors. Presented by Ken Quigley, ECF Program Director and Lynn Mander, Program Consultant.
Click here to learn more and register. - Communicating Stewardship Year-Round (October 21, 2014- 7pm-8pm EDT)
Your congregation’s made a commitment to a year round stewardship and gratitude program: Your next step is to develop a communications plan that is fun, engaging, and deeply spiritual – and also practical. In this workshop, you’ll learn ways to build a communications plan centered on starting with your congregation's stories of ministry and faith and primarily using resources already in place. Presented by Nancy Davidge, Associate Program Director, ECF.
Click here to learn more and register. - Planificación estratégica para las feligresías (October 28, 2014- 7pm-8pm EDT)
¿Cuál es la diferencia entre la "misión" y la "visión" de una congregación? Esta conferencia web se centra en los principios básicos de un proceso de visión y planificación. Los temas cubiertos incluyen definiciones claves, ideas para empezar, y los ejemplos de las congregaciones episcopales que están participando en la visión y los procesos de planificación también. Este está dirigido a personas y grupos que se inician en los procesos de la visión y la planificación. Presentado por el Rev. Juan Ángel Monge, Asesor de ECF, Diócesis de Puerto Rico
Click here to learn more and register. - Preparing for a Diocesan Campaign (November 5, 2014, 1pm-2pm EST)
Capital Campaigns are won or lost long before the first glossy brochure goes to press. And nowhere is the planning phase more critical than in the complex territory of a diocesan campaign. This webinar will address what steps you should take, what staffing and resources you’ll need, and how to integrate campaign planning with the many demands already facing a diocesan staff. Presented by Terri Mathes, ECF Senior Program Director.
Click here to learn more and register. - Volunteer Ministry (November 13, 2014, 7pm-8pm EST)
Volunteers are the everyday unsung heroes of our congregations. They are the source of great strength and ability to get things done yet can also create more work at the end of the day. Similarly, volunteers have the opportunity to make a significant impact, yet face being over-burdened and mismanaged. Focused on building volunteer commitment in congregations, this webinar will cover the basics of effective delegation, the differences between leaders and volunteers, and building up an engaged volunteer base that is connected to the mission of the congregation. Led by Brendon Hunter, Associate Program Director for Leadership Resources at ECF, we’ll take a look at stories and examples from congregations and have time to hear your questions about volunteers in your ministry.
Click here to learn more and register. - Hybrid Faith Formation (December 9, 2014, 7pm-8pm EST)
Many churches are struggling to identify models for faith formation/Christian education that take into account changing patterns of Sunday attendance, weekday availability, and new member religious background. Parishioners are hungrier than ever for Christian formation/faith and learning growth, but they are often unwilling or unable to attend traditional Sunday or weeknight classes and Bible studies. The Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary has been coaching cohorts of parish leaders in what we’re calling “hybrid faith formation,” models that gather participants for periodic/seasonal in-person gatherings and supplement with leader-facilitated small group learning via connection to a social media “hub.” Join us to hear about the project and learn how to start supporting hybrid faith formation in your congregation. Presented by Kyle Matthew Oliver, Digital Missioner and Learning Lab Coordinator in the Center for the Ministry of Teaching.
Click here to learn more and register.