ECF Receives Leadership Grant from Trinity Church in New York City for its Vital Practices Digital Faith Initiative
New York – June 26, 2024 – The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) announces receipt of a leadership grant from Trinity Church in New York City for its Vital Practices Digital Faith Initiative. This grant will enable ECF to enhance its current web-based resource – ECF Vital Practices – ecfvp.org – by creating a more robust transformative digital platform that builds practical leadership skills and connects faith leaders to innovative, spiritually-grounded ministry resources.
ECF President Donald Romanik said, “This generous grant from Trinity Church will enable us to create and share practical and future-focused tools and resources for lay and clergy Episcopal leaders in an ever-changing church and world.”
The Vital Practices Digital Faith Initiative platform will serve as a catalyst and network for growth, innovation, and change for local faith communities that are facing challenges around vitality and sustainability. ECF hopes to build on its past successes and forge new approaches to train and resource church leaders of the future.
Key aspects of this work include creating Artificial Intelligence (AI) systems to enable users to interact with content in efficient and meaningful ways, and addressing gaps in information around topics that are critical to local faith communities like climate change, part-time and bi-vocational clergy, multiculturalism, racial justice, reproductive rights and LGBTQA+ issues.
ECF is also receiving a second-year grant from Trinity Church for Pivot: Addressing the Needs of Underserved Episcopal Communities of Faith in a Digital World. This cohort-based learning experience helps smaller, under-resourced faith communities discern God’s call and build networks with similarly situated congregations across the country.
Founded in 1949, ECF is celebrating its 75th Anniversary as it continues to support The Episcopal Church in managing endowments, providing resources, and supporting lay leadership development and formation.
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Contact:
Charis Bhagianathan
cbhagianathan@ecf.org