Episcopal Divinity School

Becoming Small Churches that Say “Yes” to Meeting Community Needs

The Rev. Leyla King, Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, sits down with guests the Rev. Kevin Diehl, Rector of St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Church in San Francisco, the Rev. Suzanne Smith, Rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Alvin, Texas, and Ed Carrette, Community Missioner also at Grace Church with Rev. Smith.

Kevin describes how St. John's, a small church in the Mission District of San Francisco, has partnered with the Gubbio Project to provide essential services to the homeless population in their neighborhood, transforming their sanctuary into a vital community resource. Suzanne and Ed share how Grace Church, facing declining membership, reinvented itself as a church that says "yes" to community needs. They describe how a simple blessing box evolved into a thriving weekly mobile food pantry, serving thousands of people in their community.

The conversation explores the importance of:

• Embracing a "reckless openness" to community needs: Both churches emphasize the importance of being open to new opportunities and willing to take risks to serve their communities.
• Building strong partnerships: Kevin and Ed highlight the crucial role of partnerships with other organizations, such as the Gubbio Project and local food banks, in amplifying their impact.
• Integrating faith and action: The guests discuss how their faith in God and commitment to the mission of Christ inform their community service, with examples such as incorporating liturgical elements into their food pantry ministry and viewing community service as an integral part of their discipleship.
• Overcoming internal resistance: The conversation addresses the challenges of overcoming internal resistance within the congregation, such as fear of change and concerns about financial sustainability.

This episode offers practical advice and inspiring examples for small churches seeking to make a lasting impact on their communities.

Episode Links:

• Grace Episcopal Church, Alvin
• The Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist, San Francisco
• The Gubbio Project

 

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

Justice with Creation and with One Another

In this episode of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective, host the Rev. Rebekah Hatch, Canon for Lay & Ordained Vocations in the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, speaks with the Rev. Candice Combs, pastor of New Life Lutheran Church in Dripping Springs, Texas - a unique congregation that worships exclusively outdoors.

Rev. Combs shares how New Life, a congregation focused on grace, discipleship, children, and creation, has found its own unique expression of faith. By embracing an outdoor worship space, the congregation has cultivated a deeper connection with nature and fostered a sense of community that values resilience, flexibility, and the inclusion of all God’s people.

The conversation explores how this unique worship style, grounded in a deep respect for creation, informs New Life's understanding of social justice. Rather than focusing solely on external activism, New Life prioritizes building a just and inclusive community within the church itself, fostering trust and understanding among its members and within the New Life community.

This episode offers a refreshing perspective on how small churches can find innovative ways to live out their faith, demonstrating that social justice begins with cultivating a just and welcoming community within the church itself.

Key Takeaways:

• Unique Worship Style: New Life's outdoor worship fosters a deeper connection with nature and cultivates a sense of community resilience.
• Focus on Inclusion: The congregation prioritizes inclusion and welcomes all people, emphasizing grace and understanding within this community of faith.
• Justice as Community Building: New Life recognizes that building a just and inclusive community within the church is a foundational step towards addressing social justice issues beyond the church walls.
• Embracing Vulnerability: The outdoor worship setting encourages vulnerability and a deeper connection to the natural world, fostering a sense of interconnectedness and compassion.
• Creative Approaches to Ministry: New Life demonstrates that small churches can find innovative and creative ways to live out their faith, adapting to their unique context and embracing new possibilities.

Episode Links:

• New Life Lutheran Church of Dripping Springs 
• Wild Church Network
• Church of the Wild: How Nature Invites Us Into the Sacred, by Victoria Loorz
• Upwild.org - the joint ELCA/Episcopal Wild Church in Michigan
• thebtscenter.org/guides-for-lectio-terra: the practice of listening for the voice of the sacred in nature

 

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

Building Collaborative, Justice-Focused Ministries at the Community Level

In this episode, the Reverend Allison Sandlin Liles, Vicar of St. Stephen's in Hurst, Texas, sits down with the Reverend Dr. Elizabeth Mae Magill, pastor of the Small Church Collaborative which includes Rindge Congregational Church in Rindge, New Hampshire and Ashburnham Community Church in Ashburnham, Massachusetts. Liz shares her experiences leading two  “micro-congregations” and building a collaborative ministry with a neighboring church of a different denomination.

Liz  emphasizes the importance of prioritizing community engagement, including identifying local needs and organizing community-based ministries. Drawing on community organizing principles—a set of strategies that empower communities to identify and address their own issues, such as grassroots mobilization, building power, and developing leadership—Liz  has successfully empowered her congregations to become agents of change within their communities.

Liz’s success in addressing social justice issues is evident in her work on racial justice and LGBTQ+ inclusion. In Rindge, New Hampshire, she facilitated community conversations on racial justice, leading to the formation of a local group dedicated to addressing racial inequities. In Ashburnham, Massachusetts, she championed the display of a rainbow flag at the church, sparking a community conversation about LGBTQ+ inclusion and leading to the creation of a support group for LGBTQ+ seniors.

Faced with limited resources and declining membership, Liz found innovative ways to engage her community, such as organizing community meals, utilizing social media for outreach, and collaborating with existing community organizations.

This episode offers valuable insights for pastors, church leaders, and anyone interested in exploring innovative and impactful models of small church ministry.

Episode Links:

• Ashburnham Community Church in Ashburnham, MA
• First Congregational Church in Rindge, NH
• Five Loaves, Two Fish, Twelve Volunteers: Growing a Relational Food Ministry by Elizabeth Mae Magill
• Living Stones Partnership

 

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

The Church as a Catalyst for Changing Communities

In this episode of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective, host the Rev. Stacy Williams-Duncan sits down with the Rev. Dr. Paula Miller, Rector of St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Lincoln Park, Michigan and the Rev. Nandra Perry, Vicar of St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Hearne, Texas.

Paula shares how St. Michael's in Lincoln Park, Michigan, is working to improve the social and economic well-being of their community. Through partnerships with local organizations, they are advocating for systemic change by addressing issues such as poverty, food insecurity, and access to resources.

Nandra describes how St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Hearne, Texas, has revitalized their community through asset-based community development. By focusing on the strengths and resources within their community, they have empowered local residents to address community needs, leading to the creation of new initiatives such as a community festival and a local resource center.

This episode highlights how small churches can go beyond traditional ministry models to become catalysts for positive change in their communities. By emphasizing shared ministry, where the entire congregation participates in the work of the church, and focusing on empowering local residents and fostering community leadership, rather than simply providing services, these churches are demonstrating a commitment to long-term, sustainable change that builds on existing community strengths and creates lasting impact.

Episode Links:

• St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church in Lincoln Park, MI
• St. Philips Episcopal Church in Hearne, TX
• Little Fork Episcopal Church in Rixeyville, VA
• Asset Based Community Development 
• Texas Rural Leadership Program
• Lincoln Park Community Resource Guide
• Community Development Block Grants
• Iona Collaborative

 

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

Racial Justice as Relationship: Advocating for Arab Communities

The Rev. Leyla King, Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas, sits down with guests the Rev. Halim Shukair, Priest-in-Charge at Christ Episcopal Church and Priest-in-Charge at Mother of the Savior Church, the first Arabic worshiping community in the Episcopal Church, both in Dearborn, Michigan, and the Rev. Lauren Grubaugh Thomas, church-planting priest of a year-old Episcopal community called Holy Companion, located south of Denver, Colorado. In this episode, they discuss racial justice work in small churches, specifically as it is manifested around Arabs, Arab Americans, and Palestinians in our churches and our society.

Halim describes the innovative partnership between Christ Church, a predominantly white congregation, and Mother of the Savior, an Arabic-speaking congregation. Through shared meals, cultural exchange, and joint advocacy efforts, these two congregations are building deeper relationships and working together for social justice.

Lauren shares how Holy Companion, a young church plant, has integrated social justice into its core identity from the very beginning. By prioritizing community engagement and building relationships with neighbors, they have become active in local advocacy efforts.

The conversation highlights the importance of:

• Building relationships across communities: Both guests emphasize the importance of building genuine relationships with people from diverse backgrounds as a foundation for meaningful social justice work.
• Integrating faith and action: They discuss how their faith motivates their commitment to social justice and how their worship and community life reflect their values.
• Centering the voices of marginalized communities: Both guests emphasize the importance of listening to and amplifying the voices of marginalized communities in their advocacy work.

This episode offers valuable insights for small churches seeking to deepen their commitment to social justice and become more effective agents of change in their communities.

Episode Links:

• Mother of the Savior Facebook Page
• Christ Church, Dearborn
• Partnership in Faith between Mother of the Savior and Christ Church
• Episcopal News Service article about the Partnership in Faith
• Holy Companion
• Holy Companion Episcopal Community Instagram account
• Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies (PACA)

 

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

Shining a Light on Social Justice in Small Churches: Small Churches Big Impact Partners with Episcopal Divinity School

The members of the Small Churches Big Impact Collective are joined by The Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin, President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) in conversation about this upcoming season. Each episode centers around communities of faith and their understanding of social justice. Listeners will hear about the variety of ways justice can be lived out and witnessed to, even in smaller congregations.

Episode Links:

• Episcopal Divinity School
• Small Churches Big Impact Collective
• The Episcopal Church in Connecticut
• The Episcopal Diocese of West Texas
• Little Fork Episcopal Church, Rixeyville, VA
• St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Hurst, TX

Credits:

Music Credit: I Love to Tell the Story, Benjamin Grove, keyboard

Podcast produced by Polymnia

The Church’s Role in Indian Residential Schools and a Path to Reconciliation with Dr. Anton Treuer

Much of what defines religion in the United States today can be traced back to its historical and contemporary relationship with indigenous peoples. One of the most traumatic chapters in the history of this relationship is that of Indian residential schools. For more than 100 years, indigenous children were sent away from their homes, their families, and their cultures to be "re-educated" in environments that were often neglectful, violent, hostile, and even deadly. Many of these 400 schools across 37 states were run by churches.

 

Join the Rev. Steven Paulikas, Rector of All Saints' Episcopal Church in Brooklyn, New York and our expert guest, Dr. Anton Treuer, Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of over 20 books, to learn more about both the intergenerational trauma caused by Indian residential schools, and what churches can do to bring about reconciliation and healing.

 

This special episode is being released by Episcopal Divinity School to mark Native American Heritage Month.

For Such a Time As This: Liberating Theological Education with Bishop Matt Heyd

In this episode, the Very Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin interviews the Rt. Rev. Matthew Heyd, Bishop of the Diocese of New York and Vice Chair of the EDS Board of Trustees. Bishop Heyd reflects on the Episcopal Church's pivotal moment where the message of announcing a new age, rooted in love and grace, is more vital than ever. He also discusses the need for transformation in leadership and how we must rethink the way we form leaders to build the beloved community.

For Such a Time as This: Liberating Theological Education with the Rev. Nancy Frausto

In this episode, the Very Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin interviews Rev. Nancy Frausto, Director of Latinx Studies and Lecturer in Multicultural Ministry at the Seminary of the Southwest. They discuss the essential role of Latinx ministry in the Episcopal Church, focusing on Nancy's work with students called to this ministry and the required January-term course on immigration issues. Rev. Frausto emphasizes the need for creativity and adaptability in ministry, urging future leaders to think beyond traditional church boundaries to engage meaningfully with the evolving needs of their communities.

For Such a Time As This: Church Planting and New Community Building with The Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers

In this third episode of our podcast series, the Very Rev. Lydia Kelsey Bucklin sits down with The Rev. Katie Nakamura Rengers, staff officer for church planting within The Episcopal Church. Together, they explore the evolving culture of church planting and how new Christian communities are being formed in ways that break from traditional models. From innovative worship gatherings to grassroots community initiatives, Katie shares how these fresh expressions of faith are meeting the spiritual needs of today’s world, inviting listeners to reimagine what it means to “plant a church” in the 21st century.