Investing in what matters

5 Responses

  1. landl30 says:

    Well said.
    “Our combination of ancient liturgical practice and modern engagement with issues is exactly what many people are seeking” is right on target, and timely.
    Blessings,
    Len Freeman+

  2. Mary Roehrich says:

    My late husband evaluated businesses for a living. It was his belief that a 5% budget line showed a lack of commitment. If an organization was committed to a course of action it devoted more than 5% to that activity. Is the Episcopal Church committed to evangelism? Draw your own conclusions.

    • Scott Gunn says:

      In the draft budget, evangelism is closer to 2%. I don’t think your late husband would believe we are very committed to this.

  3. Ace78 says:

    From anecdotal experience, most people I know have never even heard of the Episcopal Church or Anglicanism unless they have an Episcopalian friend who’s mentioned the Church to them. I also get the idea that “well it didn’t work before, so why are we still doing it?” but doing *nothing at all* seems to be saying “we’ve accepted we can do nothing to effectively evangelize, so our fate is already sealed.”

    I know the decline in religiosity in general can be discouraging and seemingly indicative that there’s no point in putting resources into speaking to a population that doesn’t want to hear you, or may even explicitly *hate* you, but I also agree with you that the Episcopal Church is “the right kind of church at the right moment” and “Our combination of ancient liturgical practice and modern engagement with issues is exactly what many people are seeking” because that is exactly what I’ve been seeking. I found the Church through sheer luck, and if I hadn’t remembered it existed recently during a period of questioning, I’d probably be a rather bitter and unfulfilled person right now. I think if more people actually knew we existed and what we actually believe in, there is a chance for the trend to change.

  4. Vibha S says:

    Hello. I am a new Episcopalian and Christian. I was baptized in June 2017. My catechumen teacher posted a link to this essay to Facebook. I don’t really know anything about budget or governance or anything. But to be honest, I feel hurt when people say that evangelism isn’t working. What about me? I guess I’m not considered much of an asset. Luckily, my parish taught me the incredible truth that even as just one measly person, I am a beloved child of God.

    It also turns out almost everything I thought I knew about Christianity was wrong. It’s about forgiveness, not about condemnation. It’s about reaching out to those on the margins, not building walls. It’s a daily spiritual practice based on love, using tools like the Book of Common Prayer. As a former non-Christian, I can confidently tell you that people have no idea what the Episcopal Church offers. But there are a lot of people who need to hear its message.