The Great Commission instructs Christians to “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”
In the Diocese of Southwestern Virginia, Episcopalians seek, name and celebrate Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people. We serve a loving God, whom we believe loves His children, no matter the gender, sexual orientation, race or ethnicity. No matter who you are, you are welcome and invited to join in worship and fellowship at any of our Episcopal churches.
Joining God in the Neighborhood
How do we meet God in the neighborhood? How can we be a church of the neighborhood, not just in the neighborhood? Joining God in the Neighborhood provides a comprehensive plan to learn about people who live in your community and who are interested in God but don’t regularly attend a church.
Invite, Welcome, Connect
“Go! and make disciples in all the world” is easier said than done in our modern world and most Episcopalians do not feel prepared to carry out this directive. Invite Welcome Connect is a ministry that equips churches to Invite, Welcome, and Connect with each other and the world around them.
Embracing Evangelism
In our Baptismal Covenant, Episcopalians promise to “proclaim in word and deed the good news of Christ”. Embracing Evangelism, a collaboration between Virginia Theological Seminary and The Episcopal Church, offers a six-session curriculum “exploring our call to seek, name, and celebrate Jesus’ loving presence in the stories of all people – and then invite everyone to more.”
Additional Resources
The Episcopal Church is regularly creating opportunities to teach and learn about the practice of evangelism.
The newest additions to this area of work are Centered: A Christian Discipleship Experience and Good New Gardens. An explanation of these and many other resources can be found by exploring the Evangelism pages of The Episcopal Church website.
Story Sharing Evangelism Publications
Shine On & Evangelism Spotlight
The Diocese of Southwestern Virginia offers two publications that showcase the creative and effective work of evangelism happening within our diocese. We invite you to subscribe to our newsletters to see the good work happening in Southwestern Virginia.
Evangelism Consultations
Canon Jenni Faires and Canon Jonathan Harris are available to consult with convocations or individual parishes that are looking for evangelism support or resourcing. Please email Canon Faires for additional information.