The Episcopal Church in Western Washington
In every Letter of Agreement I have had with congregations, and now with the Diocese of Olympia I have asked that the “10 Rules for Respect” spelled out below be made part of the agreement. I first saw these in an article by Church of the Nazarene pastor Charles Christian. I think they are quite helpful in framing our communication and life together. I vow to do my best to follow them and invite you to do the same. We
A Vestry/Bishop’s Committee Notebook Want your Vestry or Bishop’s Committee to be more productive this year? You’re hoping that your monthly meetings can bear fruit for the mission of your congregation? You’re wishing that the time in meetings were spent less on micro-managing and more on ministry and vision planning energizing the whole congregation?
Over the years those learning the Gather-Transform-Send model in The College for Congregational Development have often wondered out loud about how congregations can explore and support the “Send” portion of the model. The “Send” portion has to do, of course, with where we as baptized Christians are sent in the world: work life, civic life, family life and, for some, back into work within the Church. One of the ways we can explpre this “Send”portion is to initiate exploratory conversations
Resolution 4 called for the people of The Diocese of Olympia to include as a part of all meetings held during the 2013 year, the question: How will what we are doing here affect or involve those living in poverty? As I have attended or participated in various meetings and gatherings around the diocese, I am encouraged by the conversations I am hearing from the various groups as they discuss the reality of poverty in our midst.
How about getting together and working on this? These days I’m hearing more and more from congregations interested in launching new Sunday liturgies. What I tell them is that I’m thrilled they’re at the point of exploring this AND that it’s not just a matter of noodling through what they might want to do and going ahead and launching it. For me, what this work will take is a time of discernment, prayer (on the part of priest and congregation)
In every Letter of Agreement I have had with congregations, and now with the Diocese of Olympia I have asked that the “Rules for Respect” spelled out below be made part of the agreement. I first saw these in an article by Church of the Nazarene pastor Charles Christian. I think they are quite helpful in framing our communication and life together. I vow to do my best to follow them and invite you to do the same. We will
