In February of 2024 our congregation agreed that we needed “something” to get us energized about our ministry. We found out that the College for Congregational Development was available to us through the Spokane Episcopal Diocese. We chose a team of six members at a cost of $875 per attendee, and we spent a week last August learning, practicing and sharing the tools, best practices and theories of getting our congregation moving again. It was year one of a two-year commitment. Our group has renamed itself “The Renewal Team”, and we have met almost biweekly since August. We recently added two new members, and we are looking forward to our second year of training this August. What we have found is that most of our success comes from communicating with the congregation frequently, gathering and evaluating ideas, forming sub teams from the congregation to take on promising initiatives, and sharing progress with everyone.
Walt Ebel, member of First Lutheran, Sandpoint, Idaho