In the fall of 2024, the Healthy Congregations Task Force worked with Holy Cow! Consulting to administer the Landscape Assessment tool in our diocese. More than 800 people, lay and clergy, participated! We are happy to share with you our narrative of the Key Findings from the survey, along with Holy Cow!'s more technical Landscape Report.
Your participation in this Landscape Survey will continue to help our diocese discern our shared mission and develop strategies for living ever more deeply into God’s call for us in eastern Massachusetts. Thank you again!
What is the Healthy Congregations Task Force?
In response to a resolution adopted by the 238th annual Diocesan Convention in November 2023 and serving under the auspices of the Office of the Bishop, a group of lay people and clergy, chaired by the Rev. Lynn Campbell and Dr. Brian Litzenberger, has come together to ask what healthy congregations look like and how to support them.
The task force's work begins by looking at how we are living into our mission and vision as a diocesan community.
Where do we shine and where can we, in collective ministry, find new ways to lift each other up?
The Healthy Congregations Task Force has developed two initial approaches to this work.
First, the task force has collected measurable data through Holy Cow Consulting’s “Landscape Assessment.” This will give insight into the current health of our diocese, identify things that need immediate attention and capture feedback about where people would like to put energy and resources in the future.
Upcoming gatherings and resources
Next, over the first half of 2025, members of our diocesan community will be invited to connect with the Healthy Congregations Task Force at one of a series of gatherings and/or individually in one-on-one meetings to discuss hopes for our future and experiences in the congregations of our diocese.
The task force invites all people in our diocese to participate in this process--lay people and clergy alike. In both approaches described above, confidentiality and safety will be central.
Finally, the Healthy Congregations Task Force will begin to draw in resources for congregational health and to build structures to continue to allow for feedback from across the diocese and support for our diocese's congregations.
Contact the Healthy Congregations Task Force
If you have questions, ideas, recommendations, prayers, the Healthy Congregations Task Force hopes that you will feel free to be in touch by e-mail to HCTF@diomass.org.