Members of 40 congregations, representing 11 of the diocese's 12 geographic deaneries, gathered at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston on Sept. 22 for the first-ever diocesan Ministry Network Showcase, organized as a day of "short talks with big messages and lots of resource sharing." Representatives from 27 ministries participated, some giving TED-style talks focused on issues and community service close to home and others hosting resource tables.
Courtesy photo
Showcase participants visit resource tables.
Organizers said after the event that the numbers alone don't capture the spirit of the day, and shared comments they gathered from several participants:
"This showcase was amazing! It has been a long time since I've felt the Holy Spirit move me, as it did Saturday. It came at a perfect time, as we are about to embark on a vestry retreat to discern our future."
Another found the event "inspiring and informative--it is good to see what other churches are doing!"
Others said they "enjoyed reviewing the different displays" and hearing "directly from those doing the work." Another said the program content included "good theology and practical work towards changing how we see church and world."
Videos of each of the 12 presentations will be made available in upcoming weeks. The first in the series is now available here. In it, the Rev. Leslie Sterling, rector of St. Bartholomew's Church in Cambridge, talks about "The Intersection of Church and State" and shares why she believes faith leaders can and should encourage political involvement.
Ideas are already being circulated for next year's Ministry Network Showcase. Those who would like to be involved in the planning are invited to contact Martha Gardner, missioner for networking and formation, at mgardner@diomass.org or 617-482-4826, ext. 403.