The unique purpose and work of a congregation is to gather those called by God into Christ’s body, the Church—a community of transformation of mind, heart, and action—and to send these same people into the world both to be and to act as God’s loving and transforming presence.
Another way of saying this is that the purpose of a congregation is to be the body of Christ and, with God’s help, to create and renew the Christian folk who in turn create and renew a world that we believe both already is and is in the process of becoming God’s own realm—a realm of forgiveness, reconciliation, courage, compassion, justice, peace, and hope
We will kick off Convention 2024 by exploring these three essential functions.
1:00 p.m. All Together Now
Plenary: A Bishop And An Archbishop Walk Into A Ballroom
Bishop White and Archbishop Melissa Skelton, founder of the College for Congregational Development, will talk about these three essential functions and the way that they can be found in a wide variety of congregations and contexts. Come with your stories and your questions.
2:00 p.m. Gather
Gather answers the question: How do we Invite, Greet, Orient, and Incorporate others into our particular congregations?
“Come and See: Exploring How to Become A More Invitational Congregation: In this workshop, Archbishop Melissa Skelton will lead participants through exploring, assessing, and identifying ways to improve the capacity of their congregation to invite people to “come and see” Christ Jesus as expressed in their congregation’s life. What messages is your congregation sending through the way it shows up in its neighborhood? What’s the word of mouth on the congregation? What’s being said through the website and social media about your congregation? What, if anything, are congregants doing to invite people to come to something your congregation is doing? We’ll look at some of these areas and much, much more!
The Episcopal Church Welcomes You! Developing Your Newcomer Ministries To Make Sure That Is True: Bishop Kristin White explores how we gather people new to our congregations and how we make sure that we are truly welcoming the stranger into our community.
Transformation Through Mission: Spencer Izor and the Rev. Gayland Trim from the Mission Implementation Team will discuss opportunities for God’s transformation as we redefine our diocesan mission in Southern Ohio.
3:00 p.m. Transform
Transform answers the question: How does this community feed me for my life beyond the church?
Transforming Christian Formation: The Rev. Jason Prati, rector of All Saints’, New Albany, talks about the Alive program that is transforming how they do Christian Formation for all ages.
Transformation Through Community Engagement: Join Kathy Doane and Tony Nagygyor from All Saints, Cincinnati, for a workshop focused on parish transformation through community engagement. Over the past several years, All Saints has gone about the work of intentionally strengthening their relationships with community partners in the Pleasant Ridge area. During this time, they have seen both substantial congregational growth as well as a significant increase in their visibility and witness to the neighborhood. In addition to learning about All Saints’ experience of transformation, they will lead an activity from the College for Congregational Development known as “neighborhood mapping.” Through this exercise attendees will have the opportunity to assess their own individual parish contexts and begin to imagine ways of deepening engagement in the communities they love.
Transforming Your Congregation and Priestly Life: This workshop will focus on a variety of areas related to the Four Church Model of the parishes in Circleville, Chillicothe, Lancaster and Logan. We will discuss the positive outcomes that have come from the experience: holistic clergy wellness and congregational health, vitality and creativity between the shared orders of ministry, building collaborative relationships within and between the churches, investing in a variety of clergy personalities and styles to build flexibility into parish life, and other positive aspects of the model. We will also discuss a variety of challenges we have encountered, including funding, staffing, systemic toxicity, and roadblocks to building relationships. The Four Church Model is an intentionally collaborative model that is focused on growing congregations, encouraging healthy systems, and maintaining healthy clergy for the long-term. Presenters will include clergy and laity who are part of the model.
4:00 p.m. Send
Send answers the question: Where do your people go when they leave this place? Do you know?
Sent to Work Together: Cindy Heffner, Meredith McGill, Ray Bransiter, and Bruce Miller, leaders of the Miami Valley Episcopal Cluster (Church of Our Saviour, Mechanicsburg, and Church of the Epiphany, Urbana) will share about the Life Together Partnership, an ecumenical collaboration comprising three denominations impacting the wider community and the lives of those affiliated with the participating congregations.
Sent to Speak to the World: The Rev. Jed Dearing, rector of Trinity, Columbus, talks about how they are living into a call to be a public witness to our world.
Sent to Serve Others: The Rev. Canon Jodi Baron facilitates a panel of representatives from around the diocese to talk about the various ways that they are serving their communities
