Get Out the Map and Plan a Ministry Pilgrimage

Get Out the Map and Plan a Ministry Pilgrimage

The Rev. Vicki Ix, Managing Editor, ABUNDANT Times

How much do you know about the other churches in our diocese? We are 51 congregations within two hours’ drive of each other. There’s a lot to know!

The Episcopal Asset Map is the easiest way to tour our diocese and learn about the exciting things other congregations are doing. You can find whatever you’re looking for easily by using the map’s robust search function and filters. If you are interested in starting a garden ministry, you can search for congregations who have a garden. Then, pay them a visit (or send an email) and learn about how they do their garden ministry. Learning from another’s experience will help your ministry get off the ground sooner.

Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, The Episcopal Church has made it possible to list services that are streamed so that Episcopalians everywhere might find a service online in the midst of physical distancing.

www.EpiscopalAssetMap.org

How about a prison ministry, or a food pantry, or a diaper dispensary? There’s a parish happy to share its knowledge with you about each of those. When you’ve found something you think your congregation might want to start, set a date for your pilgrimage.

Have an idea for ministry and want to see if any other churches are already doing it? Check the map! It keeps us from double-planting. If a nearby parish has a food pantry, then consider joining them instead of starting your own. Combining our efforts and resources is always more fruitful.

If you want to breathe some new life into an existing ministry, search for churches across the diocese with the same ministry. Get together with them (virtually) to talk about your common challenges and share the solutions that have worked for your congregation.

And while you’re using the map to find other churches to visit, don’t forget that other churches are also using the map to decide if they should come visit you. What knowledge and experience are you able to share with ministry pilgrims?

Seekers now see what projects and ministries your church has posted on its map pin. It’s more important than ever to make sure the information on your congregation’s page is accurate and representative of the scope of your ministry.

This map is our welcome mat. It’s a free-to-use website within The Episcopal Church’s care and we can customize it with videos, links to articles about our congregations, photos, and stories of God working through us. It is a critical platform for reaching out—just as important as the homepage of your website or that free Facebook page.

An important feature of the Asset Map is that it is crowd-sourced. That means than anyone in your congregation can “take the survey” and add to the community story. Any member can suggest a ministry story, a link to a local news story about the congregation, or a relevant photo. (A diocesan map administrator will review the information before publishing it.) This is a good thing. This means that it’s everyone’s ministry—not just the rector or the parish administrator's. It can be shared by all.

We’ve only been using the map for four years, but it is already changing our visibility and our mission plans. At any given time, the wider church is available to the world—every diocese, congregation, and ministry. I hope you will check it out and update the story of your congregation. It’s an important tool for telling our stories and offering visitors an invitation to come and see. ♦