Integrity matters. We expect it of leaders in all walks of life. But why is integrity so rare? Jonathan Lamb looks at the example of the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians and offers us a model of integrity in leadership that spans the centuries.

Updated with a new cover, this is an indispensable resource for your home or parish office. With more than 3,000 clearly written entries, this book will be a handy, quick, general reference for Episcopalians, both lay and ordained. It includes material specific to the Episcopal Church and its history and polity, liturgy and theology, as well as subjects relevant to the whole church. Entries range from Aaronic Benediction to Zwingli.

Throughout the 20th century lay women in the Episcopal Church, often acting in isolation and without institutional support, offered a powerful witness of leadership, vocation, and theological resilience. "Deeper Joy" studies groups of women with similar callings yet located in diverse settings throughout church and society such as schools, hospitals, and other civic institutions. The topics presented here reflect new historical perspectives and unexplored primary materials, including interviews that bear on all women's ministries, hence addressing neglected and important aspects of life in the American church.

After an introductory chapter on women and vocation, five major sections will explore lay women's vocations through the lenses of community life, education, mission, civic life, and working for change from within the Episcopal Church. Topics include Anglican sisterhoods, the Companions of the Holy Cross, the deaconess movement, women of the New Deal, women in foreign missions, the settlement house movement, and women in education. The views of African-American, Asian, Hispanic, and Native American women are all represented. A concluding chapter addresses future directions for leadership and service.

The story of Episcopalians in America is the story of an influential denomination that has furnished a large share of the American political and cultural leadership. Beginning with the Episcopal Church's roots in sixteenth-century England, The Episcopalians offers a fresh account of its rise to prominence. Chronologically arranged, it traces the establishment of colonial Anglicanism in the New World through the birth of the Episcopal Church after the Revolution and its rise throughout the nineteenth century, ending with the complex array of forces that helped shape it in the 20th century and the consecration of Gene Robinson in 2003. The authors focus not only on the established leadership of the church but also to the experience of lay people, the form and function of sacred space, the evolution of church parties and theology, relations with other Christian communities, and the evolving ministries of women and minorities.

This is the first extensive collection of descants on hymns in Episcopal sources that do not appear in the published hymnals. It contains descants by twenty-two composers on one hundred one hymn texts set to eighty-one hymn tunes. An added bonus is that twenty-seven of the tunes have alternate harmonizations. In addition to dramatic descants on triumphal and celebrative hymns, several hymns are included that require the descant to be reflective and quiet. Many may be played by instruments rather than sung by sopranos and/or tenors. These descants, harvested from working Episcopal church musicians, are examples of the useful day-to-day work in the local church. Even though they are small musical gems and greatly enjoyed by congregations, such practical compositions rarely obtain exposure beyond the local parish or diocese. The theme of the 2005 Annual Conference of the Association of Anglican Musicians in Baltimore, MD was "Come to us, Creative Spirit: The Art and Craft of the Church Musician." The vision embodied in that conference title echoes a hymn text by David Mowbray (Come to us, creative Spirit) which honors the creativity of those who speak their faith artistically and seeks to make such voices available to all. It is in that spirit that this book of descants is published.

At once a travel guide and a vision for the future, this series is good news for the Episcopal Church at a time of fast and furious demographic and social change. It analyzes the present plight of the church and sketches a positive way forward, sprouting from the seeds of change those transformative practices already at work renewing the church. What church models can help point us toward transformation? What are the essential tools? What will give us strength, direction, and purpose to the journey?

Each volume of the series will: Explain why a changed vision is essential Give robust theological and biblical foundations Offer a guide to best practices and positive trends in churches large and small Describe the necessary tools for change Imagine how transformation will look

For most Episcopalians, stewardship is synonymous with pledge drives, budgets, and capital campaigns, but the Bible is clear that God wants more than our tithes and offerings. Looking to its scriptural roots in 1 Chronicles, Luke-Acts, and the letters of Paul, as well as St. Francis third way, Robertson offers a vision of holistic stewardship for the whole church, holistic because it can t be separated from evangelism, outreach, scripture study, and ministry to the newcomer. It does not involve strong-arm tactics, only a willingness to risk changing existing structures and ideas in order to enrich the faith community and strengthen connections to the neighboring world.

"Transforming Stewardship" delivers both good and bad news about Episcopalians and stewardship. "Robertson" provides essential models and spiritual practices in order to transform the church s outmoded attitudes toward stewardship and wealth into a broader context of faith."

Timed to be launched at 2009 General Convention, Juan Oliver definitive look at the history and potential future of Latino ministry in the Episcopal Church comes at an opportune time. With Latino ministries growing around the country in all traditions, and with increasing resource and programmatic offerings being allocated to serve those communities, this highly descriptive handbook profiles the culture, faith, and importance of this emerging minority.

Within the book chapters, Oliver surveys topical areas, such as: Who/What is a Latino? Latino Biblical Interpretation Worship in a Latino congregation The spiritual lives of Latinos Latino authority and governance Latino administration and stewardship The Latino priest: Factotum or Specialist? The Latino deacon The Latino bishop Non-Latinos in Latino ministry

This unique new service book includes liturgies for blessing and healing as related to childbearing and childbirth. It includes prayers, Scripture readings and hymn suggestions organized around the blessing of a pregnant woman; loss of a pregnancy; repentance and reconciliation for an abortion; difficult decisions, unexpected or unwanted pregnancy, loss of a child, termination of pregnancy, infertility, sterilization, and adoption.

The dioceses of San Joaquin, Pittsburgh, Fort Worth, and Quincy recently voted to secede from the Episcopal Church. The bishop of Pittsburgh was recently deposed for abandonment of communion, with several other bishops removed from ministry in the Episcopal Church after declaring their alignment with other provinces of the Anglican Communion. The diocese of Virginia is in the midst of protracted legal battles with parishes seeking to leave with property, with Virginia lower courts issuing rulings reflecting minority interpretation of The Episcopal Church governance. What's going on, who's in charge, and what about real-property assets? In order to determine the locus of authority within the Episcopal Church, political scientist James Dator carefully analyzed the three main styles of constitutional government confederal, federal, and unitary and applied them to the Episcopal Church in his 1959 dissertation. Now, working with religious journalist Jan Nunley, who added current legal cases and canonical updates, Dr. Dator s research offers newfound currency and prescient applicability. Topics include a thorough examination of the Episcopal Church s Constitution and Canons, 1782 to present, plus the structure, executive powers, and governing roles of its various parts."

The classic historical commentary by White and Dykman on the Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church, long out of print, is now available in a special limited-edition reprint. Revised for the Standing Commission on Constitution and Canons of the General Convention, it is an indispensable reference work for libraries and diocesan offices. (Two volumes, 1,154 pp)

The revised and expanded edition includes new information, new teaching resources, and perspectives gained in the last eight years, as well as the General Convention resolutions of 2015. Beyond Business as Usual is full of resources for forming the vestry as a learning community. It deals with the "soft" side of leadership that enables the pastor and vestry together to journey along the leadership path. Each chapter can be read and reviewed at a series of vestry meetings or as part of a vestry retreat, and includes questions for group and individual discussion. The book also contains resources for vestries, based upon different preferred learning styles, for the formation part of the vestry meeting or retreat.

This guide for clergy, parish musicians, lay readers, and congregational representatives covers all the stages of organizing worship services for the entire year. Using The Book of Common Prayer and Hymnal 1982 as primary resources, it explores the rich variety of options both time-honored traditions and accepted innovations.

Times and seasons covered in depth include Advent, the Twelve Days of Christmas, Lent and Holy Week, Easter and the Great Fifty Days, and the Sundays after Epiphany and Pentecost. Planning the Church Year explains the preparations that make for meaningful holy days and special occasions, such as Lesser Feasts, Thanksgiving Day, Vigils, Michaelmas, All Saints Day, the bishop s visitation, the Patronal and Dedication Festivals. "

The Holy Eucharist

This course offers the best education available to altar guild members and is also extremely informative for all laity. This comprehensive training course presents "modules" of easy-to-digest information, which include everything any member would need to know about what are humorously termed the "props", the "stage", the "holy hardware", the "costumes", and other aspects of the Passion Play we all attend on Sunday.

"The worship of the Christian community, properly understood and done, leads worshipers to act out in their lives the love of God, which is at the heart of our worship. Worship also provides the power and the sustenance which makes this style of living possible. This Christian style of living, moreover, drives those who are committed to it back to the worship of God, to find forgiveness and strength . . . When this interdependent relationship is understood, the power of worship is illuminated and the power to live increased". -- From the Preface

First written in 1979, and out of print for many years, Liturgy for Living remains a classic text in the field of Anglican/Episcopal liturgy. This highly-readable overview explores the meaning of worship from a theological, historical, and spiritual perspective. It then examines the history, theology, and meaning of specific Anglican liturgies including: Holy Baptism, Confirmation, the Daily Office, the Holy Eucharist, and the various pastoral offices. An extensive bibliography, and a glossary of liturgical terms are included.

The perfect book for newcomers who are often confused by the worship service, Welcome to Sunday is also an excellent book for those who have been sitting in the pews without fully understanding what happens on Sunday morning. Episcopal priest Christopher Webber takes the reader from the sidewalk outside the church, guides them through the service, and sends them out again when the service has ended. Webber explains the postures, the Christian year, the colors we use during various seasons, and all the elements in the Service of the Eucharist. As in Webber's very popular Welcome to the Episcopal Church, the tone of the easy-to-read book is conversational, making it useful for parish study.

From birthday cakes and anniversary dinners to summer vacations at the beach, each family has its own ways of marking the days and seasons of its life. For the Christian family especially Episcopalians it s no different. With an array of colors and an assortment of rich traditions, Episcopalians move through the Church year, marking the days and seasons that tell the story of Christ in our lives in history and today.

This book written for newcomers to the Episcopal Church as well as lifelong members takes readers by the hand and leads them through the Church year, from the first Sunday of Advent through the last Sunday of Pentecost, answering questions like Why do we use purple in Lent? and What does Maundy Thursday mean? In an easy-to-read conversational style, Welcome to the Church Year introduces readers to the traditions of the Church seasons and explains why we do what we do. But it does more than offer interesting trivia about church vestments and pageantry. Its insights can help readers participate in the liturgies of the Church year in a deeper, more meaningful way."

"The image of dancing with God may seem like an odd one for a book on Christian theology," writes Jay Johnson, "More than a few people probably assume dancing and theology have at least one thing in common: Other people do them. The good news of Christian faith suggests something different. Each and everyone of us is invited to dance with God. Each of us can dance. Each of us can do theology." Theology, long seen as the domain of professors, scholars, and clergy, is actually the work of all God's people. Dancing with God uses the metaphor of dance to help readers--especially those without a theological background--approach the discipline of theology as something we all do, and not only something to believe. And doing theology is the practice of hope. This book explores the way Anglicans approach theology. The good news, according to Johnson, is not about the assurance of "getting things right." It comes, instead, from considering our texts, creeds, and liturgies as invitations to dance with the God of abundant life. Beautifully and accessibly written, Dancing with God makes an excellent book for individual or parish study.

While this one-volume guide is especially useful for Christian educators, showing them how to teach week by week according to the ethos and tradition of the Episcopal Church, it also provides a valuable and useful reference tool for all church leaders and members in connecting Christian faith to daily life.

This new guide to Christian education and formation is based on the Book of Common Prayer, the cornerstone of Anglican liturgy and theology. Keyed to the Revised Common Lectionary, all activities and lessons are structured on the seasons and lessons for Years A, B, and C. The guide stresses the major themes of baptismal theology and shows how teachers, parents, and children can live the liturgical cycle in Christian formation ministries at church and at home.

Part of the well-established Welcome to... series from Morehouse Publishing, this book addresses church history from the grassroots perspective of how Anglicans have prayed, thought about, and lived out their faith through the centuries.

A distinctive resource that deals with all the practicalities of the Episcopal culture for those preparing for--and exercising--ministry in the Episcopal Church Answers neglected yet difficult questions around clothes (not just clerical attire), money, relationships and conversation A "complete guide to a sub-culture," that can help clergy person serve the Episcopal Church more effectively

What is the appropriate attire for an Episcopal priest at the events associated with the service in the Book of Common Prayer, the Celebration and Blessing of a Marriage? What does it mean to be an icon of Christ at a cocktail party? How does one live with sensitive confidential information from a parishioner? These questions might seem almost trivial yet are deeply serious. The Episcopal Church is a distinctive culture: effective ministry needs an understanding of the distinctive Episcopal culture.

At one level, this is a book that introduces and explains the Episcopal faith to a potential priest who wants to be effective in this world. At another level, this book is a reflection on the meaning and nature of the holy mystery of priesthood.

Drawing upon his rich parish experience in the Episcopal Church, Hawkins distils a wealth of practical experience and tips to enhance the training of seminarians and the ministries of established priests. Hawkins takes the reader through the pastoral offices with theological reflection and vignettes in order to encourage good priestly habits. Ideal reading for anyone wishing to serve the Episcopal Church in an ordained capacity. "

* An all-in-one volume sharing the history, practice, and viewpoints of Confirmation in the Episcopal Church and the first book on the subject for at least 15 years * Resolutions regarding Confirmation are coming to the 2015 General Convention * Includes questions for reflection and study by individuals and groups Many clergy and educators would say that the rite of Confirmation in the Episcopal Church today is a sacrament in search of a meaning. Some believe Confirmation is an essential rite of passage for adult leadership in the governance of the church. Some believe it is a rite that no longer has a place in the life of the church, understanding the importance that Baptism now holds in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer's ecclesiology. Following a history of how the rite of Confirmation came about and its implications for youth and adults in the church today, voices in the Episcopal Church (bishops, liturgical scholars, confirmation leaders, and youth themselves) offer fresh viewpoints here in a conversational format to engage the reader.

The Anglican Communion is said to be coming apart at the seams. But is that really true? Backpacking Through the Anglican Communion is the exciting new book that challenges the tired narrative of Anglican disunity. Jesse Zink has traveled tens of thousands of miles around the world, visiting and worshiping with Anglicans in some of the Communion s most diverse provinces Nigeria, the largest province ministering in an unstable political environment; South Sudan, at one point the fastest-growing church in the world, now rebuilding after devastating civil wars; England, the mother church of Anglicans, struggling to adjust to a new, secular age; South Africa, a church dealing with the legacy of entrenched discrimination and rapid social change. The story Zink learns at the grassroots level of the church is far different from the one that dominates its highest levels. He shows that when conversations about power, history, and sexuality are undertaken in a spirit of mutuality and trust, they can strengthen, not weaken, the Anglican Communion. The result is a book that presents vivid slices of Anglican life around the world, argues convincingly that unity is central to the Communion s mission, and presents a credible path to achieving that unity in a global church. It is a book that will be sure to shape coming debates about the future of the Anglican Communion. "

For use by churches during a bishop s visitations A resource guide for educators, parents, and families For audiences who have enjoyed Anne Kitch s What We Do in Church books A bishop comes to visit a congregation for many reasons a parish celebration, baptism, confirmation, or a pastoral visit. With black and white illustrations, this interactive book for children and families describes the ministry of a bishop, including symbols and apparel, in preparation for the visit and worship. Confirmands will find this new book particularly helpful as it walks them through the liturgy of Confirmation. During the actual Confirmation rite, children will have a guide to follow along during the service, making this book serve multiple purposes for young and old alike. "

"The old way of "being church"-measured by political influence, money, and congregants in the pews-may indeed be vanishing, but it is being replaced by something new and beautiful for those with the eyes, ears, heart, and soul to experience it. Prolific author Greg Garrett reminds Episcopalians of the many gifts that our tradition can offer a doubting and hurting world. He reveals a church that values intellect, beauty, diversity, and community, and promotes thoughtful engagement with questions of faith, ethics, and community. This church espouses a generous orthodoxy, welcoming left and right, mystic and doubter. It values education, social justice, and engagement with literature and culture. And in opposition to the radical individualism espoused by most of American Protestantism, it offers the unique gift of a tradition shaped by English culture that believes the individual is a part of her or his community-not in opposition to it."