Dear friends in Christ,
This week’s message comes from Charlotte, NC. I’m here at the Episcopal Parish Network conference with several colleagues from Forward Movement. We’re here to talk about our work, but we’re also here to learn about the needs, hopes, and concerns of the church.
I always learn a great deal at gatherings of the church. There are many people doing wonderful ministry in just about every kind of context you could imagine. It’s not hard to find examples of thriving congregations—rural, urban, small, large, high church, low church, you name it.
Gatherings of Episcopalians remind me that transformation is possible—for individuals, for congregations, and even for the world. God can do great things!
Thriving churches always have two things in common: they are deeply and thoroughly committed to the transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ, and they are led by clergy and lay leaders who are gracious, humble, and mission-focused.
Is your congregation thriving? Tell your story (which is always God’s story!). Is your congregation struggling? Find a thriving church and learn what you can.
My hope is that every congregation thrives, not for the sake of shiny buildings or big budgets, but so that more people can know the saving love of Jesus Christ. We have a Gospel to proclaim, so let’s do that!
Yours faithfully,
Scott Gunn
Executive Director
P.S. If you are at the EPN conference, stop by the Forward Movement booth and say hi to our team! We’d love to connect.
More from our ministry:
TODAY: Lunch & Learn webinar with Stephanie Spellers
Celebrate 90 years of Forward Day by Day with Bishop Dorothy Sanders Wells
Get support for church growth from our RenewalWorks team
Coming soon: Signs and Grace course on the sacraments