News & Stories

January 8, 2018 Impact story

A Thank You to All Vestry Members

The beginning of each year brings with it new challenges and opportunities for both our personal life and that of our faith communities. It is a time for church leaders to refocus, reenergize and renew. As we begin 2018, on behalf of the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF), I want to thank all new vestry members, as well as those who are returning for another year, for your service to your congregation.

ECF has the ongoing privilege of working with many of you, and our experiences have only strengthened my belief that serving on the vestry, and in other leadership roles in the church, is critical work that continues to be important, now more than ever.

We are living in very turbulent times in our country and our world. We desperately need to form and empower leaders at all levels of society, including the church, who are open to the Spirit, discern a call, and are ready to offer inspiration and hope to the people they serve - in many ways – leaders like you.

We want you to know that you are not alone on this journey. ECF is here to walk alongside you as you continue this process of responding to God’s call. Together, we believe that we can help bring about transformation and positive change in our congregations, our local communities and even the world. We want to support you in your efforts to form faithful disciples, raise up new leaders and develop new and innovative approaches to mission and ministry. And please be assured of our prayers as you engage in this important and holy work.

We have included some resources below that you might find helpful in your leadership role. Please stay in touch and share your thoughts, comments, and most importantly, your stories. We love to hear from you and your feedback is critical to living into our mission.

Wishing you a hopeful, grateful and spirit-filled Vestry New Year!

Faithfully,
Donald V. Romanik
President of the Episcopal Church Foundation

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The Vestry Resource Guide: Whether you’re a first time vestry member or a seasoned veteran, the Vestry Resource Guide is an essential tool to help leaders discern, plan and implement local mission and ministry for congregations of all sizes and shapes. The Vestry Resource Guide is available in English or Spanish, and in both print and e-book formats.

ECF-Kanuga Church Leadership Conference: The 2018 Conference will be held March 2-4, 2018 at the Kanuga Camp and Conference Center in Hendersonville, NC. The conference is an annual gathering of vestry members and other church leaders for practical learning, reflection and formation. The theme for 2018 is Equipped for Every Good Work: Practical Tools for Tough Times. Register here.

ECF Vital Practices - Vestry Essentials: For the January and February issue of Vestry Papers ECF Vital Practices has invited leaders from across the Episcopal Church to share their experiences, ideas, strategies and guidance for refreshing or renewing a vestry or other leadership team. Please subscribe to Vestry Papers for these offerings and other tools and resources delivered to your inbox twice a month.

ECF First Step: ECF First Step is designed to begin a collective conversation among parish leaders on where to begin the journey to greater vitality and focus. This assessment tool can be printed or taken online.

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