congregational development@diocal::

facts on episcopal growth

Kirk Hadaway, TEC's statistician, has produced "FACTs on Episcopal Growth", a new look at the dynamics of growth and decline in Episcopal parishes and missions.

new church 'marketing'

From the NYTimes: "The new messages — from Willow Creek and other nondenominational churches to mainstream denominations like the Episcopal and the United Methodist churches — tend to focus on connectedness, theology and shared values."

why do people leave the church?

"Why do people leave the church? A new study by LifeWay Research found reasons, some inevitable, why some people stopped attending church."

'upward bound' preparing congregational leaders to lead

[ENS] For the third consecutive year, the Episcopal Church's Office of
Congregational Development, in partnership with the Episcopal Church
Building Fund (ECBF), will offer congregational leaders a four-day
training seminar designed to heighten self-awareness and skills required
to lead congregations in times of change and transition.

grants for "town and country" ministers

The Episcopal Church's Office of Congregational Development has announced the opening of the application period for 2007 Roanridge Trust funds. The purpose of these funds is the "training of town and country clergy and rural Christian workers of PECUSA" (now known as The Episcopal Church.)

church starts by date

"A majority (56%) of Episcopal parishes and missions were founded before 1901."

evangelism news from gc06

General Convention passed some major legislation dealing with evangelism and church planting.

general convention 2006

Episcopal News Service
Monday, June 12, 2006

General Convention news website launched

[ENS] In-depth coverage of the Episcopal Church's 75th General
Convention, meeting in Columbus, Ohio, from June 13-21, will be provided
by the Episcopal News Service

sabbatical funding available

The Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders Program, administered by the Louisville Institute, awards grants to pastors and other religious leaders in the U.S. and Canada seeking time for study, reflection, retreat, and rest for the renewal of their vocations.

da vinci code and the c of e

We know it's fiction, but the book has earned more than the GNP of several countries and the movie is poised to be the blockbuster of summer 2006. Is there an opportunity for conversation?