The season of Lent is a time of penance and reflection, but it’s also a chance to connect with those outside of the church walls. Last year, Bishop Reddall convened a group of clergy and lay leaders from vital congregations around the diocese over Zoom in September to listen to their strengths and needs. From this conversation, we realized that there is a great need in Arizona for more connection through communication in the churches’ surrounding communities.
With the help of an evangelism grant from The Episcopal Church, we have created an evangelism campaign that fosters a welcoming and inclusive environment in Episcopal churches across Arizona, particularly for those who have felt wounded or ostracized by religious organizations, and to strengthen congregational vitality through intentional evangelism efforts.
So we got to work and developed a message around the question: “What will you find at your local Episcopal church?”
Find Your…
What will you find at your local Episcopal Church? Community? Faith? Hope? Acceptance?
The Episcopal Church seeks, names, and celebrates Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people. Together, we follow Jesus as we love God with our whole hearts, souls, and minds. We love our neighbors as ourselves and restore each other and all of creation to unity with God in Christ.
Evangelism Campaign Resources
With the help of Graphic Designer, Drew Weinstein, we have created resources for congregations to use during and after Lent to help evangelize to their local communities. We started with a list of 25 words that really embody the spirit of being a part of the Episcopal Church. We then created logos, postcards, flyers, stickers, digital banners, bookmarks, and more.
Click the link below to access any of these resources for your church.
Customizable Bookmarks and Stickers Available to buy
If you are a congregation within the Diocese of Arizona, you can order stickers and bookmarks to give out to your local community. Just click on this LINK to fill out a request form. Shipping time is 7-10 business days and the cost is free through March 15th.
After March 15th, stickers and bookmarks will be available to purchase through our diocesan online store for anyone!
Video Testimonials and More Content To Come!
During Lent, you will see more content on our social media channels and website, including video testimonials, animations and more. We encourage you all to create your own video testimonials from your congregations. After all, the people in your pews are the perfect people to ask!
Your testimonials don’t need to be fancy and can be shot on a cellphone, just like the one above. The important thing is to share their story of why they come to church, what they gain from being a part of a community, and how the Episcopal Church has helped them grow.
If you have any questions, reach out to Laurel Way, the Director of Communications. And thank you to all who have helped put this together.
So what will you find at your Episcopal Church? There’s only one way to find out!