Formation

Reclaiming Christianity

In a world hungry for the hope of Jesus, Episcopal Bishop Claude E. Payne offers a roadmap for individuals and churches to seek and establish rich spiritual lives and to connect deeply with God and our neighbors. Too often, spirituality is privatized and kept under wraps, not to be talked about in public circles. But Payne encourages us to reclaim our faith in the public square, in our communities, and with our family and friends. After nearly five decades in ordained ministry, Payne writes that he has never been more optimistic about the future of Christianity.

Revive (offers a discount for small churches)

Revive is a small-group discipleship program for active lay leaders to help them grow in confidence as spiritual leaders who love God and want to live a Jesus-shaped life. Click here for more resources and ways to implement Revive in your congregation. Ministry in the church is demanding and difficult. Revive is offered as a gift to our dedicated lay leaders to give them the chance to be re-energized with some new ideas and lots of laughter and to learn about themselves and the God we serve. Lay leaders join their minister in a safe setting, where they find words to describe their spiritual experiences and grow in intimacy with God as a follower of Christ. In ten months, this small group program can help transform leaders of practical church ministry into confident spiritual leaders who desire to find new life in service and ministry.

Footsteps

Is your congregation healthy? What factors play a role in a vital and strong congregation? What about you personally? How would you rate your spiritual vitality? What can help you – and your congregation – deepen a relationship with God and with neighbors? Research into these questions has proven that congregations and individuals with a vibrant, deepening faith place spiritual growth as a top priority. The Footsteps workbook explores the meaning of spiritual growth as well as presents a plan for growth that can guide both congregations and individuals. The workbook outlines a broader process called RenewalWorks that encourages congregations to have spiritual growth as a common goal and aspiration.

Primeros pasos

¿Cómo es la salud espiritual de tu congregación? ¿Qué factores ayudan a crear congregaciones con vitalidad? Si tuvieras que darle una calificación a tu propia vitalidad espiritual, ¿qué puntaje le pondrías? ¿Qué puede ayudarte, a ti y a tu congregación, a profundizar la relación con Dios y el prójimo? Los estudios realizados han dado prueba de que de que las personas y congregaciones de fe profunda son las que ponen en primer lugar el crecimiento espiritual. Primeros pasos es un cuaderno de trabajo que explora qué significa el crecimiento espiritual y presenta un plan que puede guiar a congregaciones y a individuos hacia el crecimiento. Dicho cuaderno da el bosquejo de un proceso más amplio, llamado RenewalWorks, que alienta a los miembros de las congregaciones a que trabajen unidos para crecer espiritualmente.

RenewalWorks

Through a guided methodology of self-reflection, sharing and workshop discussion, RenewalWorks challenges parishes to refocus on spiritual growth and to identify ways that God is calling them to grow.

RenewalWorks is a catalyst for refocusing parishes (and the individuals in them) on spiritual vitality. It has been tailored to the Episcopal tradition, adapting 10 years of research that has uncovered key characteristics of flourishing congregations. It will inspire your congregation and leadership to rediscover who Jesus is, and what it means to follow him.

Guía de recursos

Esta guía, en versión revisada, es una lectura esencial para toda persona que participa en una junta parroquial. La guía pone énfasis en la importancia de que la junta parroquial y el rector o rectora trabajen en equipo. Incluye información completa y consejos sobre el ministerio de la junta parroquial, cómo dirigir feligresías, mayordomía, y qué pasos tomar cuando cambia el clero.

Vestry Resource Guide

Whether you’re a new vestry member or a seasoned veteran the Vestry Resource Guide is essential reading. With a deliberate focus on the importance of lay and clergy leadership teams, you’ll find comprehensive information and advice about the ministry of the vestry, leading faith communities, stewardship, and navigating clergy transitions.

Finance Resource Guide

Developed by Episcopal Church Foundation, the Finance Resource Guide offers a basic, practical, and theologically grounded resource for lay and clergy leaders to navigate the complex but essential tasks of raising, stewarding, and expending financial resources for local mission and ministry. This book is designed for lay and clergy leaders with a wide variety of financial backgrounds and expertise—for newly ordained priests as well as veteran parish treasurers, for those faithful parishioners who have ongoing fiduciary responsibilities as well as newcomers who are helping to manage the financial resources of their local faith community for the very first time.

Planned Giving on Demand

Planned giving is vital to any faith community. Not only because it can ensure the future, but also because it gives people the opportunity to make a final testament about the importance of their Christian faith. The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is pleased to offer Planned Giving on Demand, a comprehensive package of print and online resources to help you establish, enhance, and sustain an effective planned giving program. 

Guía de recursos para finanzas

La Fundación de la Iglesia Episcopal ha producido la Guía de recursos para finanzas. Este recurso básico, práctico y fundado en nuestra teología ayudará a la gente laica y al clero a realizar la compleja y esencial tarea de reunir, custodiar y utilizar los recursos financieros para la misión y el ministerio locales. Este libro se ha diseñado para líderes laicos y del clero que tendrán muy variada experiencia en cuestiones financieras: clero recién ordenado, tesoreros expertos, feligreses que ya tiene responsabilidades fiduciarias y líderes nuevos que tal vez estén ayudando a administrar las finanzas de su feligresía local por primera vez.

Signs of Life

Signs of Life offers a clear-eyed consideration of the challenges facing congregations as well as a celebration of practices that contribute to spiritual vitality in congregations.

These best practice principles—signs of life—emerge from a ministry called RenewalWorks, a concerted effort to make spiritual growth a priority in congregations and to build cultures of discipleship within them.

Get the Study Guide HERE, and begin using this for adult formation, small groups, a Lenten study, a Vestry retreat, or a weekend parish retreat.

A Generous Community

Practical ideas for connecting and building communities of service.

Bishop Andy Doyle understands that the church must change. Every day, he presides over parishes that are no longer vital, that have not adapted to the “VUCA” (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous) world of today — the world in which the church exists. The church still looks to hierarchies when it needs to build networks, and stays mired in arguments when it needs to find unity. With the experience of a bishop and the insight of a deep learner, Doyle points the way to the future with a vision for how we can learn, serve, and communicate with each other.