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November 7, 2016 News

CPG and ECF host first Boot Camp in Baltimore, MD

“This Boot Camp was a wonderful spiritual awakening and an opportunity for learning/sharing best practices on vestry meetings, stewardship, governance and community outreach. Thank you ECF and CPG.” - Boot Camp participant.

As part of the Episcopal Church Foundation’s (ECF) Lilly Endowment Initiative “From Economic Challenges to Transformational Opportunities,” ECF, in collaboration with the Church Pension Group (CPG), hosted the first Boot Camp on October 27-29th, 2016 in Baltimore, Maryland. This in-person pilot conference for newer clergy and their lay leaders offered training on how to collaboratively address the challenges of parish finance and administration, vision and planning, stewardship and fundraising, personal financial literacy and team leadership to respond to the financial and leadership challenges of congregational ministry in the 21st century.

Over 27 congregational leaders from nine congregations in the dioceses of Maryland, New Jersey, New York and Newark participated. The teams included the rector, a current vestry leader and an emerging lay leader. In order to assist the rector and team in implementing their next steps and plans, each rector will be assigned a coach to work with them for six months.

The event also helped participants understand that they are not alone on the journey—ECF and CPG are full partners in their ministry, in addition to the peer networks they develop at Boot Camp.

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