Vestry Training Days

Our annual vestry training days are offered annually in the spring and are designed with new vestry members in mind, but all vestry members are welcome.

Vestry Resources

Bishop's Day with Clergy and Vestries 2021 - The following items were referenced or requested at this event.

How we live and work together in DIOSOVA

ECF Vital Practices Vestry Covenants and Norms

Leading The Church After Covid - slide presentation by Tod Bolsinger

Sample Vestry Reporting Guidelines (from St. Andrew's, Newport News)

Congregational Vitality Assessment - The Congregational Vitality Assessment tool from Episcopal Church Foundation and The FaithX Project is designed to provide congregations with an assessment of its Vitality (how healthy it is) and its Sustainability (whether it has the people, financial, and contextual resources necessary to survive).

Vestry Training Days 2018 - Click here for the handouts from the 2018 Vestry Training Days presented by diocesan staff.

Episcopal Church Foundation – www.episcopalfoundation.org
ECF partners with congregations, dioceses, and other Episcopal faith communities, empowering them to engage in visioning and planning, develop effective lay+clergy leadership teams, and raise financial and other resources for ministry. ECF’s programs, products, and services help congregations respond to the changing needs of the Episcopal Church in the 21st century.

ECF Vital Practices – www.ecfvp.org and Vestry Papers – www.ecfvp.org/vestrypapers
ECF Vital Practices offers vestry members, and other people of faith, resources and tools to respond to the changing needs of the Church. Building upon the spiritually grounded, practical Vestry Papers articles that have inspired and informed vestry members since 1995, Vital Practices uses the internet to expand both its offering and its audience. Resources for everything from leadership development to stewardship; from Christian formation to small church resources.

Congregation Assessment Tool
A powerful, customizable assessment good for Strategic Planning, Succession Planning or New Clergy Search, Financial Campaigns, and getting a read on the Overall Health and Vitality of your church. Provides measurements on areas such as worship, clergy leadership, hospitality, spiritual vitality, conflict management, energy and satisfaction, adaptability vs. stability. The instrument costs between $415 - $620 depending on the size of the congregation + interpretation by a trained diocesan consultant. (Approximately $250-500, depending on the level of consulting). There is a modified version for congregations with an Average Worship Attendance of under 35 for only $125.00. Partial scholarships can often be made available from the Diocese. Contact Canon Lynn Farlin or Canon Charles Robinson. Sample reports available here.

ChurchNext – www.churchnext.tv
A learning resource with video classes on everything from Parenting, Pre-Marital Workshops, Various Faith Traditions, Spirituality, Evangelism and a host of other topics. Unlimited classes per individual membership at $9 per month.

Sermon for Every Sunday – www.asermonforeverysunday.com
America's best preachers deliver fresh, lectionary-based video sermons to your church's door in time for worship each week. It’s a great resource for small churches, Bible studies, Sunday school classes, and individual use. Free of charge for the foreseeable future, thanks to the generous support of an anonymous donor.

Congregational Development Basics 101 – Diocese of Texas www.epicenter.org/development-basics-101.
Links to a variety of articles and resources, including the 12 Marks of Healthy Church Behavior and its 12 Marks of Healthy Church Behavior Assessment Tool. Also on that site: Newcomer Ministry resource available: “Invite · Welcome · Connect” www.invitewelcomeconnect.com

Church Trustees - Click here
Helpful information about the role of and forms for the appointment of trustees.

Resources for parish administration - Click here
Employees, benefits, pension, and more.

Diocesan Grants – Click here
On the diocesan website, you can find links to Diocesan grants for a) Seeds of Hope (Outreach based grants); b) Small Church Emergency Maintenance Fund; c) as well as Scholarships for students.

Episcopal Church Building Fund – www.ecbf.org
Offers access to consulting services and events, including conferences such as Buildings for a New Tomorrow and the JumpStart Program, which helps parishes explore new ways of being Church. In addition, The ECBF also makes non-mortgage loans to Episcopal congregations and organizations. Loans are made for building projects, renovations, repairs, improvements, refinancing, and or purchase of land or buildings.