New Blog on Evangelism

I ran across a rather new blog, Father T. Listens to the World, today which is written by the new Program Officer for Evangelism for the Episcopal Church Center. To say that I am initially impressed would be an understatement honestly. It is being set up as not only a resource site, which is needed given the state of confusion of the 815 site but also a place to connect and tell stories.

I don't know what to think of evangelism in the Episcopal Church but I do believe one thing pretty strongly. I think that the church constantly is asking people to meet us where we are as opposed to meeting them where they are. It sometimes feels like a test "are you really ready to join us?" or perhaps just fear of the unknown, only wanting people that we know will have the "right" outcome. I remember being hesitant about inviting a friend to come with me to church once because I fairly well knew that she and her two children wouldn't "fit in" with the rest of the congregation and I wanted church to be a positive experience for her. It is hard to look back on that. I really didn't think that she would have been happy at the Episcopal church and helped her to find a church that did fit for her but still to this day am saddened that I was afraid to bring her to my church home which was also my workplace.

So check out Fr. Terry's new blog. For those of you who have been long time Episcopal blog readers you might find it a bit of a tongue in cheek reference to an older blog, one which we didn't know the "name" of the mysterious blogger.