I arrived at General Convention with a specific mission and purpose to meet and learn from as many folks as I could schedule from dioceses who have undergone similar disruptions by disaffiliated groups. In my new role as Missioner for Returning Congregations, I sought out best practices, wise advice and good counsel. Leaders from Fort Worth, Virginia, Pittsburgh and San Joaquin have been wondrously generous in carving out time to meet and share insights. Staff from the Episcopal Church Center in New York offered help. Friends in New England assured me of their prayers for our ministry together in South Carolina.
A great deal to assimilate and process. The plane ride back to CHS today will provide some time to pray and think through potential next steps.
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry frames our approach and grounds our initiatives with this truth: My brothers and sisters, we are not just The Episcopal Church. We are the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement. That’s who we are. And that’s what the world is pleading and hungering for us to be.
Our returning congregations are coming back to a relationship with The Episcopal Church that was there when the parish was consecrated for God; and they are going forward to a new day of engaging God’s Mission. All of us will be hearing about this core message – The Way of Love: Practices for a Jesus-Centered Life. May it become our compass.
Join the Church in this endeavor - https://www.episcopalchurch.org/explore-way-love
- Bill
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| Janet and Bill Coyne at the Austin Convention Center |
The Rev. William Coyne
Missioner for Returning Congregations
The Episcopal Church in South Carolina
(843) 614-0679
wcoyne@episcopalchurchsc.org
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