Plan for Covenantal Giving – Improving The Relationship Between Little Fork Church And The Diocese
Question: What would you like for diocesan leaders to know or to do that could improve the relationship between your church and the wider diocese?
Little Fork Church Response:
- We are immensely thankful for the advice and guidance that the Rev. Dr. J. Lee Hill, Jr, newly appointed Missioner for Racial Justice and Healing, has provided us. This spring, we entered into a period of reflection and discernment to decide about two important issues facing our congregation. Dr. Hill facilitated our conversations and guided our spiritual reflections, as we decided the future of a Jim Crow Era monument, along with how to recognize the physical labor and artisan skill used by enslaved people during this time, to create Little Fork Church. We were purposeful and intentional and worked through difficult conversations. Strong emotions were present and flared. Political tendencies were pushed aside so that local, grounded, personal perspectives and experiences could be shared. We reached deeper levels of understanding that allowed for a consensus to be reached and helped those in attendance to develop a closer, stronger connection with the church and the people who sit in pews next to them. Elements of our decision have already been implemented in the draft of our Master Plan for the campus of Little Fork, both in the historic core and in the undeveloped land of the estate.
- [From our Senior Warden who is very active in our Regional meetings] These meetings allow us to form strong collaborative relationships at the regional level, learn about and understand the struggles and success of each Episcopal congregation, and find similar passions for mission work. These meetings are often a dissemination of informational reports (Dean, Executive Board, President) as a layer to help stay current with Diocesan news and events. Using our internally collected dues, we have funded mission work in the school faculty and building facilities in Haiti, supported each other with funds for technology improvements as we continued worship elements during the closures of Covid, and dispersed money to improve the storage shelter and related improvements for the local Feed My Sheep chapter.
During a few of these meetings annually, it would strengthen the middle of our Episcopalian hierarchy to have more involvement and participation by Diocesan staff at the regional meeting level. We want to make sure we are focusing our energies in the right direction and in support of the Diocese’s goals. Having a representative there that can answer real time questions, guide discussions, and offer suggestions or encourage next steps for growth, giving us the larger Diocesan perspective, would help ensure we are using our time and talents in an effective manner, in order to get results. Participation by Zoom is even an option, now that we have almost all mastered that barrier! Again, the congenial atmosphere of the group is appreciated and restorative in itself, but if we truly want to be able to carry out the vision and mission of the Diocese, and churches are already forming regional relationships with each other, then the next step is for the region representatives to connect with a representative of the Diocese.