A Clear Vision of One Church
November 19-21, 2000

Conference Reflections

The Rev. James R. Wheeler
Chairman, The Evangelism and Renewal Committee
The Diocese of Connecticut

Day 1

What a wonderful and exciting gathering of the Episcopal Church! At meals, social gatherings and just bumping into folks I talked with people representing teams from Southeast Florida, Northern Indiana, New Jersey, Upper South Carolina, Southern Virginia and others. The bishop of each of these dioceses is here with his team to learn the power of a vision to move the church from a posture of self-maintenance to mission. The team from Southeast Florida actually includes 50 people! Kevin Martin, the Canon for Parish Development in the Diocese of Texas, presented the incredible difference Bishop Payne’s vision has made in the Diocese of Texas. In 7 years the diocese is literally being transformed. Their growth is phenomenal - in total membership, 25% growth in attendance, huge increase in pledging, new parishes, new ministries, etc. All this is in a diocese that had been stagnant for decades. What impresses me even more is the way the vision translates into excitement for ministry. I can ask a maintenance worker for Camp Allen how the job he or she is doing fits in with the diocesan vision and get a clear and passionate answer. Clergy, parishes, diocesan staff, even maintenance workers have been motivated by this vision. Close to 400 leaders in the Episcopal Church are here because they are excited by the vision too. Even the National Church has gotten caught up, having approved the 2020 vision of doubling our membership. Clearly this is an exciting new movement already having a profound impact on our Church.

Noon - Day 2

This morning I went to a workshop about new church starts from a diocesan perspective. The presenter was an administrator from the Diocese of Texas. Bishop David Jones of Virginia and others present were able to broaden the perspective over a wider spectrum of the Episcopal Church. I have wondered for several years if God may be calling me to this ministry. Today’s workshop didn’t make that call any clearer but it continued to raise my excitement about this important work.

The Diocese of Texas began with a regional planning group of 7 prominent lay persons in and from the Austin area assessing not only what growing areas could support a new church start, but also the strength and weaknesses of the entire Episcopal Church presence in the region. What parishes could and should be growing? Which ones were stagnant? And also, where should the Episcopal Church strategically plan new church starts in this rapidly growing region? Days after the regional planning group presented their findings work began on a new church start in Austin.

Texas is planting one new parish per year. Their goal is to have that new parish be a fully functioning "resource size" church within 4 years. By resource size they mean averaging over 400 in attendance. They have moved many of their resources to support this vital strategic objective. And it’s working! The Episcopal Church not only has a presence in areas it otherwise would not have had, lives are being transformed, faith deepened, works of mercy and love begun and pursued because people had the vision and the will to see it happen.

What prevents us from thinking strategically throughout the Church?

Earlier in the morning Claude Payne spoke about vision and the importance of team building to give that vision life and substance. I am jealous of the excitement and dynamism I have been seeing of bishops and diocesan teams represented at the conference. My prayer is for next year at Camp Allen.

Day 3

The Episcopal Church is like a small town. At a gathering like this there are all sorts of connections with one’s past. I bumped into a friend I haven’t seen in 10 years and we’ve had a wonderful time catching up. At breakfast a layman from Delaware described the house where his grandmother was raised in Woodbury. Good friends of ours now own it. People I knew when... people I know in Connecticut that others have asked me to remember them to. There’s something very comfortable about that small town feeling about the Episcopal Church. Perhaps it is too comfortable. What will the Episcopal Church be like as we take seriously the great commission and the 2020 vision to double our membership? As in a small town, in a parish, a diocese and a national church, significant growth will mean profound changes. Are we comfortable enough with the grace and goodness God has given this denominational communion to risk sharing it?

I sat on the bus back to the airport amongst the delegation from Northern Indiana. The bishop brought his six deans and the head of their Parish Development Committee. Next year they plan to come back with a larger team. The new bishop of Southeast Florida brought a team of 50 people. Bishop Payne said that there were 28 bishops and 39 dioceses represented. What impressed me was the unprecedented opportunity to network, to learn from the efforts of other dioceses and to pull together a diocesan team in the context of an exciting learning event.

The Clear Vision of One Church conferences bring together much of the cream of the Episcopal Church. Diocesan teams include some of the best minds in parish development, church growth, multicultural ministry opportunities, management, finance, new church starts, evangelism, planning, Christian education, youth ministry and sociology. They’re not all from Texas! It is exciting to talk and dream and learn together about the Church in mission. The Texas vision helps focus this large talented gathering in a positive direction.

Bishop Charles Jenkins gave the last plenary talk late this morning. A marvelous, witty speaker with a thick Louisiana accent, Bishop Jenkins shared the story of the emerging vision in Louisiana and the difference it is already making in a struggling diocese in an economically depressed state. The vision is not merely about numbers, but about being the Church in mission. One of the bold moves they are making is to build a campus ministry center for two largely black universities in New Orleans. The diocese is starting to come together around this vision. It certainly has excited their new bishop. Other dioceses and teams are sharing their energy and excitement around a vision. They have gained much through this conference and have returned to build and further develop their vision, plans and team.

This is my second opportunity to attend this exciting conference. It has been an energizing and exciting opportunity. It is also frustrating. As chair of the Evangelism and Renewal Committee and speaking from my own passion for church growth, I am champing at the bit for our diocese to move forward with a vision and a strategic strategy for mission. My prayer is for Connecticut to be well represented with our diocesan Bishop and an incredible team next year at Camp Allen!

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report on first Clear Vision Conference (11/98)

report on second Clear Vision Conference (11/99)