Mission Possible??: Transforming the Vestry Into a Formation Partner

Brendan Murphy on August 1, 2012

Sometimes being a formation leader can be like someone crying out in the wilderness as you try to garner attention and support for making formation a priority within the congregation. At such times, wouldnā€™t it be nice to have partners in this effort? It turns out there is a group that could and should be that for you- the vestry! Despite the constant focus on infrastructure issues and the ā€œbottom lineā€, the ministry of the vestry involves more that boilers, budgets and buildings. Vestry members are called to be spiritual leaders, a fact that often gets lost:

In addition to its legal roles and responsibilities, the vestry is committed to the spiritual life and growth of the congregation. The elected lay leaders as well as clergy have a responsibility to model the mission of the congregation in their work and personal witness as they lead the congregation in fulfilling that mission. (Source: What is a Vestry? Ā© 2007 The Episcopal Church Foundation)

Vestry members might well ask why they should be concerned with formation and spiritual growth-isnā€™t that the job of the priest and the DRE? The answer is that because the Churchā€™s mission is to form disciples for Christ, devoting time, attention and resources to lifelong formation is one of the smartest ā€œinvestmentsā€ the vestry can make in the life, viability and future of the parish. Why?
  • Individuals whose congregation encourages and supports spiritual growth and nourishment are more inclined to: be faithful in worship and prayer; support their congregation through time, talent and treasure; invite others to visit or join their congregation
  • Intentional, lifelong formation is the foundation of vibrant congregations; recent research has demonstrated that the healthiest, fastest growing congregations are those in which the clergy and vestry model spiritual growth and leadership and are intentional in providing for the ongoing spiritual growth of the entire congregation
What are some ways that vestry members can live into their role as spiritual leaders?
  • Each vestry member is intentional in tending to his/her own spiritual growth
  • Begin vestry meetings with prayer and bible study before addressing the ā€œbusinessā€ items on the agenda
  • Share faith stories with fellow vestry members
  • Develop prayer partners among vestry members
  • Organize a vestry retreat with a spiritual focus rather than a focus on parish issues
  • Work with the clergy and interested parishioners to actively and visibly support lifelong formation programs through their presence and participation in such activities
  • Serve as Sunday School teachers
  • Establish a parish Christian formation committee (with a vestry liaison) charged with: discerning the ongoing formation needs of the entire congregation; implementing plans to address those needs; reviewing formation programs to assess their effectiveness; regular reporting to the vestry
  • Include a yearly line item for lifelong formation in the parish budget; review and discuss it and ongoing needs for fiscal support
For many, this view of the vestry will be a challenging paradigm shift. Is this ā€œMission Possibleā€ in your context? What is the spiritual climate where you minister? Can the vestry be transformed into a formation partner? How can you help? How would you begin the conversation and with whom? What are the opportunities? Where are the challenges? Perhaps a starting point (and the biggest challenge) will be to help the vestry see what they do as a ministry as you invite them to partner with you in the exciting project of forming disciples for the kingdom.   The Rev. Canon Patricia Mitchell is the Canon for Christian Formation in the Diocese of New York. Prior to this appointment she served as Associate Rector at St. Bartholomew’s Church, New York City, where she oversaw ministry to children,youth and families. She is a Forma board member.