Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

This month we offer five resources on vestry roles and responsibilities. Please share this digest with new members of your vestry and extend an invitation to subscribe to ECF Vital Practices to receive Vestry Papers, blogs, and the monthly digest.

In this webinar, Effective Vestries in Times of Crisis, ECF President Donald Romanik facilitates learnings and discussion on how to focus on maintaining day-to-day vestry activities and effective leadership during this stressful time. Designed for clergy, wardens, and vestry members, the webinar explores the role of the vestry in planning and evaluation, supporting staff and volunteers, and best practices during times of crisis.

In Ellen Bruchner’s article, Vestry service: light over darkness, she shares tips from her 25 years of vestry service that will help “get past the feelings of frustration, disappointment, and anger that can be triggered by some vestry meetings.”

Caleb Tabor discusses how to form a multicultural vestry in his article, Multiculturalism: It’s Not Optional. He says, “Being a multicultural vestry is a requirement if we are going to have a multicultural church. Having a multicultural church is a requirement if we are going to embody the Gospel of Jesus Christ in our place and time.”

In Five Ways to Become a Transformational Vestry, Donald Romanik details how a vestry can move from being transactional to transformational. “For faith communities, transformation involves moving from the idea of membership to that of discipleship; from just raising money to nurturing stewardship; from recruiting volunteers to developing leaders; and from perpetuating clergy-centric models to promoting health lay-clergy partnerships.”

Loren Mead suggests ways to be a better vestry member in Good vestry members: born or grown? He says that, “As a vestry person, you have a chance to make a difference in your own life and in your parish. ... You are being invited to grow in grace as Jesus’ disciple.”