<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><blockquote type="cite"><div bgcolor="#FFFFFF"><div>Début du message transféré :<br><br></div><blockquote type="cite"><div><b>Expéditeur:</b> "Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook" <<a href="mailto:sherylkujawa1@msn.com">sherylkujawa1@msn.com</a>><br><b>Date:</b> 27 octobre 2011 07:11:23 HAEC<br><b>Destinataire:</b> <<a href="mailto:bishop@tec-europe.org">bishop@tec-europe.org</a>><br><b>Objet:</b> <b>General Convention Small Church Resource</b><br><br></div></blockquote><div></div><blockquote type="cite"><div>
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<div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><font face="Calibri">October 26,
2011</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Dear Bishop
Whalon,</font></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"><span style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">I
am sending this note to colleagues who work for dioceses and provide resources
for congregations.</span><span style="FONT-FAMILY: 'Times New Roman','serif'; FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></span></font></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">As mandated
by the General Convention, the Congregational Vitality Office at the Episcopal
Church Center is in the process of compiling a “Small Church Growth Strategies
Handbook” entitled, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Hope and Action:
Abundant Small Churches. </i>The resource will be ready for the General
Convention this summer. I am in the process compiling stories of abundant small
churches and resources to be included. We are purposely not quantifying “small”
exactly, though that number tends to hover around 125 or fewer, because we are
also interested in learning about congregations that are smaller and larger than
that which consider themselves small churches. </font></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">I am
interested in any stories you might have about congregations involved in
extraordinary ministries that could benefit others – community gardens or food
ministries, innovative small church worship and music, outreach and social
justice, new ways to engage children, youth , young adults, and seniors,
evangelism with groups beyond young families (though new ideas here are
welcome), global mission, ministry with military personnel and families,
inventive building or facility usage, interfaith cooperation, interesting
support groups or prayer groups, creative stewardship or evangelism initiatives,
forward-looking technology, and any other distinctive and hopeful efforts.
</font></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I am also contacting all organizations
and dioceses offering resources for congregations in an effort to compile a
comprehensive resource section. Instead of the customary list, I am offering
individuals and organizations an opportunity to submit a one-page flyer
highlighting the resources you offer to congregations. It is my hope that this
type of resource section will draw attention to all that is available in the
Episcopal Church to support congregational vitality. </font></p><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><font face="Calibri">Submissions
must be one page, one-sided, and black & white, so they can easily be
duplicated. All pages must be submitted to me <u>no later than November <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>28, 2011.</u> Pages must be sent to me as
a PDF file to: </font><a href="mailto:sherylkujawa1@msn.com"><font face="Calibri">sherylkujawa1@msn.com</font></a><font face="Calibri"> or </font><a href="mailto:skujawa-holbrook@cst.edu"><font title="mailto:skujawa-holbrook@cst.edu
CTRL + Click to follow link" face="Calibri">skujawa-holbrook@cst.edu</font></a><font face="Calibri">. If you
intend to participate it is helpful to let me know in advance – just e-mail me
at one of these addresses. If I have any questions about your text, I will ask
you before publication. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If this
deadline causes huge problems, but you still want to participate, let me know.
Thank you!</font></p><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><font face="Calibri">Faithfully
yours,</font></div><div style="margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0in; "><font face="Calibri">(The Rev.
Dr.) Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook</font></div><p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 10pt" class="MsoNormal"><o:p><font face="Calibri"> </font></o:p></p></div>
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