Barbara Sutton, Director of Bridge Builders for a Thriving Mission, and Brenda Kresky, Director of Diocesan Planning for the Diocese of Saint Cloud, recently returned from a Thriving Congregations Conference. Pictured above, Brenda and Pastor Susan Buckson (AME Church, Atlanta) were exploring Susan’s presentation about repurposing empty church buildings.
Thriving Congregations Conference
Each year the Lilly Endowment in Indianapolis hosts a conference for stakeholders in the Thriving Congregation initiative. Barbara and Brenda participated with about 250 other stakeholders across the United States. While they were left with many questions, these are some that caught our attention:
5 take-aways for thriving in mission:
No parish is an island.
Expanding the ecology of relationships, including others, and ministering across differences is essential to thriving in mission. By creating an intentional network of support, we expand our relationships and reach. Support is based on behavior, not just intentions.