Those of you who read my blogs know that I am often critical of the direction of TEC and outspoken about our continued decline. I have been hearing some good news and I thought that I would start the year off with signs we may be stopping the decline.
1. Ministries aimed at strengthening congregational life and vitality such as The Pivot Program, The Preaching Congregation, combined with new Diocesan initiatives. These are addressing our continual decline with creativity and support.
2. The Resurgence of Nashotah House Seminary: As a Prayer Book Catholic, I see the resurgence of this seminary as a very helpful sign that TEC could be moving back towards its identity as part of the Anglican Communion.
3. The intentional new congregation plants of the Diocese of Texas. This includes both non-traditional communities and the planting of new congregations which includes a mission out of my home parish of Grace, Georgetown Texas located in one of the fastest growing counties in America.
4. The ability of the ACNA and TEC in South Carolina to negotiate an issue of disputed property. After millions of dollars in legal fees, two bishops found a Christian resolve. We can pray that this kind of behavior spreads among our leadership.
5. The creative reunion of the Diocese of North Texas with the Diocese of Texas. This was a creative solution and an example for the future. Pair a struggling diocese with one that has enough resources to make a difference. Especially in light of # 3 above.
6. The Iona School for Leadership: This expanding school for training clergy and lay leaders in a non-residential degree program is helping provide leadership to struggling congregations.
7. Mockingbird, a ministry that provides great teaching and resources for younger clergy.
8. The “Invite, Welcome, Connect” website and resources: this continues to be an excellent ministry that continues to expand their ideas and resources.
9. The Diocese of Pennsylvania is doing restarts and planting in previously closed congregations. Research on congregational revitalization that confirms my own experience shows that restarting a congregation is often more effective than trying to revitalize a declining and struggling small congregation.
10. The Living Church Podcasts (as well as the ongoing “The Living Church” magazine and The Covenant website. For those who think that theology is important, this remains a solid Anglican resource.
I am not saying that it will be easy to reverse our decline, but these items add to our ability to stabilize our community. Right now, COVID has added to our downward trend as seen in the most recent parochial reports. But with the help of the above and the energy many new leaders including new Bishops are bringing to our community to a healthier place. Stabilizing will probably take 3 to 5 years.
Feel free to hit the comment button and add any other positive signs that you have seen in TEC.
You are on target with the good things going on in the church and we can affirm those aspects. I'm pleased with the diocese of San Diego and Bishop Susan Brown Snook's community outreach approach to reaching our local communities around our churches.
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