Building a healthy congregation involves finding the blend of business, relationship, and worship that each community needs in order to keep growing. Below are a list of resources to aid that process.
Most simply put, “baptismal ministry” is a gift and a calling which Christians are given at Baptism. But that is to put it over simply, for it is also a deep mystery with many layers of meaning. In our Baptism, we enter into a special new connection with God in Christ, a relationship of mutual commitment – of God to us and us to God – called a covenant.
This covenant is a personal relationship of mutual open-ended promise, sacramentally enacted and acknowledged in Baptism. None of us stands outside of this personal relationship with God in Christ. Our end of the covenant, our end of the mutual promise, is our ministry.
Congregations and individuals considering baptismal ministry within the Diocese of Oregon are encouraged to contact the Commission on Ministry – Committee for Baptismal Ministry (COM-B) and consult the resources below to learn more about the discernment and licensing process.
- Baptismal Ministry Booklet
- Discerning Baptismal Ministry
- Licensed Ministries Manual (2012) This manual is currently under review. For specific questions please contact our Diocesan office.
Preparing for the Bishop's Visitation - resources for preparing for a bishop's visitation.
College of Congregational Development- a comprehensive training program to nurture and develop congregational development practitioners from within existing parish lay and clergy leadership
Some helpful items for the relationship between Deacons and the Congregation:
- Deacon's Covenant between Bishop, Deacon, and Congregation
- Deacon's Resource page
What is the Diocesan Consultant Network?
An association of lay and clergy who serve the Diocese of Oregon as skilled consultants.
They bring a wide variety of skills and competencies to congregations, diocesan program groups, and specific diocesan wide initiatives.
What they provide
- Mutual Ministry Reviews
- Vestry retreat facilitation
- Program and leadership development consultation
- Strategic planning or any other area in which the skills of an outside consultant would be beneficial
- Assistance to congregations in transition
- Parish-wide congregational development sessions
- Mutual discernment: anything requiring parish-wide listening and decision making processes
- Conflict consultations
- Stewardship consultations
Fee schedule for consultants
The following are the standard fees for diocesan consultants:
- Meeting (per hour): $ 50.00 + expenses
- One Day Vestry Retreat (6 hours): $300.00 + expenses
- Two Day Vestry Retreat (8+ hours): $400.00 + expenses
- Note: Some funding may be available from the Bishop’s office to offset these costs in case of financial needs.
To find a consultant, contact:
The Rev. Christopher Craun
Missioner for Thriving Congregations
chrisc@diocese-oregon.org
971-204-4103
2020 Constitution and Canons - the fundamental document by which a diocese functions with regulations and rules for implementation and structure
Episcopal Diocese of Oregon Policies and Procedures Manual (revised December 2020) This manual is currently under review. For specific questions please contact our Diocesan office. For - guidelines, procedures, best practices and diocesan policies, offered to congregations as helpful sources of information on a wide range of church matters
The Licensed Ministries Manual This manual is currently under review. For specific questions please contact our Diocesan office. - to aid baptized persons who wish to serve in one of the specific ministries requiring a license to discern and describe their ministry, in prayerful collaboration with their clergy
Supply Clergy list - list of clergy available to supply on Sundays
Safe Church - policies and procedures to help people recognize, report, and, perhaps most importantly, prevent abuse and neglect of our children and youth.
SAVE THE DATE: Vestry/BAC Formation Days in 2023
This February, the Diocesan Consultants and Missioners will host two full Vestry/BAC Formation Days. Those dates are February 11 and 25. More information will come regarding which convocations will be meeting on which date and where. For now, please mark your calendar.
These formation days are opportunities for Vestries/BACs to gather at a central location in the Convocation to strengthen as a team, establish hopes for the year, understand the role of Vestry/BAC, and become grounded as spiritual leaders. Contact the Rev. Chris Craun with any questions.