Congregational Resources

This page is always being updated so please check it often. If you have  additional resources to share please contact Barbara Ross, Missioner for Christian Formation and Lifelong Learning, or Canon Neysa Ellgren, Canon for Congregational Development and Staff.

Baptismal Ministry Booklet

Bishop Hanley Visitation Schedule 2012

Catechumenate Resources

Congregations in the Search Process (Updated 1/23/12)

This is a listing of the congregations in the Episcopal Church in Western Oregon who are looking to call  new priests and where they are at in that transition process.  For more information contact Canon Neysa Ellgren. 

Congregational Resource Guide

New this year, the Alban Institute and the Lily Endowment have joined together to give America's congregations a guide to the very best resources in the areas of pastoral care, education, worship, leadership management, outreach, evangelism and more.  The interactive Congregational Resource Guide (CRG) is a site full of the easily searchable materials you are looking for.

Education for Ministry

Every baptized person is called to ministry of some kind.  The Education for Ministry (EfM) program provides people with the education to carry out that ministry. During the Service of Confirmation we ask God to "Renew in these your servants the covenant you made with them at Baptism. Send them forth in the power of the Spirit to perform the service you set before them." EfM offers an opportunity to discover how to respond to the call to Christian service. Our diocese has many EfM groups.  A group consists of 6 to 12 participants and a trained mentor who meet weekly over the course of a 9- month academic year for study, prayer and reflection. 

For more information contact our EfM Coordinator Jenny Landis-Steward at jlandissteward@gmail.com.

Episcopal Church Foundation Vital Practices

This link offers vestry members and other people of faith resources and tools to respond to the changing needs of the Church.  Vital Practices explores new ways of supporting congregations by building online communities of Episcopalians who share their stories, experiences and best practices. It includes articles by experts and peers, blogs for sharing ideas about faith and leadership, stories about real life lessons of change and leadership, tools for stewardship, communications and opportunities for you to share your stories and examples.

Policies and Procedures Manual

This manual is intended to serve as a resource to all congregations in the Diocese of Oregon. Its contents combine guidelines, procedures, best practices and Diocesan policies, all offered to congregations as helpful sources of information on a wide range of church matters.

One goal of this manual is to maintain a level of administrative consistency in congregational practices across the Diocese. It is also recognized that congregations have unique needs and cultures. When an individual congregation experiences a specific need different from or unaddressed in this manual, a draft of the intended procedure or guideline should be forwarded to the Bishop's Office for review. This Bishop then has the option of forwarding the proposed procedure or guideline to the Diocesan Personnel Committee for possible inclusion in this manual. In this manner operational best practices can be communicated across the Diocese.

Process for Discerning Baptismal Ministry

The Process of Discerning Baptismal Ministry is designed as a flow chart to indicate the dynamic process baptized Christians experience as they discern and identify their call, enter into formation, and develop their ministry within the community of faith, the Church. This is an ongoing, life-long process during which each person grows in and through their ministry or ministries, often moving into new challenges and opportunities.

Supply Clergy Roster (Updated 9/23/11)

Roster of all available supply clergy in the Diocese.

Special Note: Many resources for congregations are available in our resource library.  Please contact Barbara Ross, Missioner for Christian Education and Lifelong Formation or Canon Neysa Ellgren, Canon for Congregational Development and Staff  to inquire.