Advisory Group on Congregational Revitalization

Mandate

2022 - A095

ResolvedThat the 80th General Convention and the Episcopal Church celebrates and supports the planting of new congregations and ministries, the training and recruiting of planters and mission developers, and the fostering of a church-wide network of support for new ministry development that was originally funded by GC2018-A005 and GC2018-A032; and be it further

ResolvedThat the Church continues to prioritize establishing new Episcopal communities and strengthening existing ones that are especially committed to mission and evangelism engaging people historically underserved and/or under-represented by the Church, for example, people of color, immigrants and refugees, youth, young adults, people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBTQI+), gender non-conforming people, people living in poverty, people with disabilities and/or all others who are disenfranchised from the Church; and be it further

ResolvedThat the budget for sustaining this new ministry development will be $5,800,000.00 for 2022-2024 to be allocated as follows:

  • $200,000 to identify and support existing programs to train clergy and lay leaders in planting congregations
  • $600,000 to provide mentorship/coaching/training for planters of congregations
  • $1,000,000 for the continuing development and implementation of a program to train bilingual/bi-cultural lay and ordained leaders in church planting for various cultural contexts
  • $500,000 to support a church-wide office staff person to oversee the planting network.
  • $3,000,000 for grants to new and existing church plants, to be administered by the Task Force for Church Planting in consultation with the Churchwide Office Staff Officer for church planting.
  • $500,000 for the support of leadership development programs for the next generation of church planters and ministry developers;

And be it further

ResolvedThat the Convention urges The Episcopal Church Development Office establish an advisory group to study the possibility of creating an endowment for church plants and evangelism; and be it further

ResolvedThat Dioceses receiving money for planting new congregations under this program will be required to contribute significant, resource appropriate, and local funding to support the costs of any new plants; and be it further

ResolvedThat the bishop or a diocesan advocate representing any diocese receiving funds shall take part in a cohort of church planting dioceses engaged in church planting and evangelism to share best practices and methods of supporting mission developers. Those dioceses not receiving grant funds are also invited to participate in the diocesan cohort; and be it further

ResolvedThat this Convention embrace the future of our Church by, after this Triennia, moving the funding for a church-wide office staff-person to oversee the planting network (Staff Officer for Church Planting) into the continuing budget for the Presiding Bishop’s staff; and be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance consider a budget allocation of $5,800,000 for the implementation of this resolution.

2022 - A096

ResolvedThat the 80th General Convention and the Episcopal Church celebrates and actively supports the revitalization of congregations, seeking not to restore past glories, but to move into the new callings of our loving, liberating, life-giving God; and be it further

ResolvedThat the Church continues to prioritize the revitalization of congregations and a church-wide network of support for congregational revitalization work that was initiated by GC2018-A032; and be it further

ResolvedThat the Presiding Bishop and President of the House of Deputies establish an advisory group of not more than twelve (12) people, consisting of those with experience in revitalizing congregations, diocesan oversight of such work, working with evangelism and mission, to carry out provisions of this resolution, including making recommendations to Executive Council about grants to be awarded, helping to identify potential revitalizers, and developing a network of coaches, and working with staff on training church revitalizers; and be it further

ResolvedThat in the revitalization of congregations, the Church continues to prioritize commitment to mission and evangelism engaging people historically underserved and/or under-represented by the Church, for example, people of color, immigrants and refugees, youth, young adults, people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender (LGBTQI+), gender non-conforming people, people living in poverty, people with disabilities and/or all others who are disenfranchised from the Church; and be it further; and be it further

ResolvedThat the budget for development of sustainable congregational revitalization throughout the Church will be $2,000,000 for 2022-2024 to be allocated as follows:

  • $100,000 to engage Bishops and the diocesan representative(s) they appoint in development of a framework for congregational revitalization, identifying roadblocks that regularly thwart this work and identifying resources that are proven to enhance this work;
  • $100,000 to engage clergy and lay leaders in gleaning learnings from congregational revitalization that they have successfully done and/or they have failed in attempts to do, identifying roadblocks that have thwarted their work and identifying resources that have enhanced their work;
  • $100,000 for translation services and to facilitate participation of Spanish-speaking lay and ordained leaders in training for congregational revitalization;
  • $200,000 for further development of five-phase congregational redevelopment strategy - (1) diagnosing/assessing resources and challenges, (2) discerning next calling, (3) connecting with local and diocesan partners, (4) iterating and continued resourcing, and (5) evaluating, refining and sustaining
  • $1,000,000 to support a team of local and regional church-wide office staff to oversee the work; and
  • $500,000 to provide mentorship/coaching/training for lay and ordained leaders in revitalization of their congregations.

And be it further

Resolved, That the General Convention request the Joint Standing Committee on Program, Budget and Finance to consider a budget allocation of $2,000,000 for the implementation of this resolution.