ECF announces collaborative partnership with The Gathering of Leaders
October 15, 2019, New York, NY - The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is pleased to announce a collaborative partnership with The Gathering of Leaders (GOL) through which each organization will benefit from the skills and resources of the other, while bringing hope-filled, positive change to the Episcopal Church and its leaders.
“ECF’s new relationship with Gathering of Leaders enhances our ability to support transformational clergy leaders and empower them to help shape the Episcopal Church of the future,” remarked Donald Romanik, President of ECF. “This collaboration will expand our network, increase our impact and enable us to live into our mission in new and creative ways.”
The purpose of the GOL is to assist in the empowerment, support, and development of younger clergy who have demonstrated exceptional entrepreneurial skills and who possess a hope-filled vision for the Episcopal Church. To this end, GOL provides a place for leaders to come together without contentiousness and partisanship to share their love of the Christ and of the Church.
The purpose of ECF is to be a catalyst, agent and advocate for transformation, renewal and growth in the Episcopal Church in practical, innovative and spiritually grounded ways. ECF seeks to be a comprehensive and holistic resource that helps vitalize faith communities. ECF provides programs, resources and tools in the areas of visioning and planning, leadership and financial resource development.
ECF has long been a proponent for building up innovative leaders in the Church over its seventy year history primarily through the Fellowship Partners Program which supports both academic and ministry leaders who are forging new, innovative and mission-based ways to be the Episcopal Church. The partnership with GOL is yet another way of expressing this commitment.
Both ECF and GOL share a common mission to identify, empower, network and support innovative and entrepreneurial leaders who will help shape the future direction of the Church. The GOL model is aligned with ECF’s emerging approach to leadership developed especially as it relates to the Congregational Leadership Initiative, which is funded, in part, by a grant from the Lilly Endowment.
“I am excited about the unique opportunity that this new partnership offers and look to our future together with much anticipation. We are convinced that the synergy that is created by our two organizations with mutually compatible missions will be a source of great renewal throughout our church.” The Rt. Rev. Duncan M. Gray, III (Res.), Chairman of the Board for Gathering of Leaders.
This new partnership with GOL will connect ECF directly with over 600 clergy leaders who are responding to the missionary call of Christ with a hope-filled vision for the Episcopal Church. It will also explore pilot gatherings for laypersons who are involved in creative and innovative leadership. ECF will provide staff support to GOL primarily through Haley Bankey, GOL’s Executive Director who is now part of ECF’s Leadership Resources Team.
ECF looks forward to this new partnership that promises to create many more opportunities for leaders in the Church to thrive and grow.
Communications Contact:
Charis Bhagianathan
[email protected]
212-870-2843