Church of the Transfiguration, Vail, Colorado
Transfiguration, Vail Valley, celebrates more than 40 years of watching Jesus reveal himself as God’s radiant Son amid the majestic Rocky Mountains of central Colorado. God’s provision has driven Transfiguration’s growth through many abundant blessings. Our church family enjoys weekly multi-campus worship in our three interfaith chapel and community centers situated throughout our mountain valley, sharing facility, program, and service with Jewish, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian, Anglican, and Pentecostal faith communities. We welcome members, seasonal members, and friends from around the Anglican Communion and from many Episcopal congregations across the country who enjoy the beauty and rigors of an active, outdoor lifestyle. We are proud to feature our ministries to infants, children, and youth as our premier congregational activities, alongside a robust commitment to outreach participation locally, nationally, and internationally. We serve our entire community by seeking to fulfill a true parish vision for Eagle County. We are a vibrant congregation for a Living Church! (Church of the Transfiguration, P.O. Box 1000, Vail, Colorado 81658; 970.476.0618; episcopalvail.com)
Christ Church, Bradenton, Florida
Christ Church, Brandenton, the largest Episcopal Church in Manatee County, is committed to fulfilling the Great Commission. Weekday services are held in the historic chapel using Rite I traditional language and an east-facing altar. Three different styles of worship are offered in the nave on Sundays, dignified and beautiful to both eyes and ears. An additional service in Spanish is at 1 p.m. The music program at Christ Church includes traditional organ and choral music, a handbell choir, a contemporary music ensemble, and a concert series featuring the Létourneau pipe organ. Christ Church has many opportunities for Christian discipleship. A men’s group meets weekly on Thursday morning for study and fellowship, while Daughters of the King and Episcopal Church Women gather regularly for service and spiritual growth. Other Bible studies are available Wednesday evening after the Eucharist and Thursday morning. Youth group members are actively involved in diocesan, provincial, and national church events. Our Lord’s Pantry opens on Thursday afternoon and serves a cross-section of applicants ranging from the homeless to those who simply need some extra help. The Thrift Shop is open daily to sell gently used items. All profits go to Christ Church Outreach. Serving in the soup kitchen and visiting the homebound are some of the other ways that members of Christ Church reach out to the community. (4030 Manatee Avenue West Bradenton, Florida 34205; 941.747.3709; www.christchurchswfla.org)
Diocese of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida
The Bishop’s Institute for Ministry & Leadership in the Episcopal Diocese of Florida offers quality education at the local level for the training of priests, deacons, and lay leaders, and provides continuing education for both clergy and laity. It is also working to provide educational resources for parishes within the diocese to assist them in developing their various ministries and educational offerings within the parish. In addition, the Institute promotes retreats, events, and forums that bring outstanding speakers from the wider Church and from many different backgrounds here to our diocese. Founded in 1838, the diocese, with its 63 churches and missions, stretches east from the Apalachicola River to the Atlantic Ocean, and south from the Georgia border to the Palm Coast region. Our 12 diocesan schools range from pre-school to high school. Currently three campus ministries serve Florida State University, the University of Florida, and the University of North Florida. The Camp Weed and Cerveny Conference Center welcomes more than 650 summer campers and 35,000 guests annually. Multiple diocesan outreach ministries serve rural and urban areas with prison ministry serving those in correctional institutions. The call to serve all God’s people has remained steadfast and directed by the Holy Spirit over the past 177 years. (325 N. Market St., Jacksonville, Florida 32202; 904.356.1328; www.diocesefl.org)
Diocese of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida
The Diocese of Central Florida, based in the 15-county heart of the booming, diverse Sunshine State, is building on the past for the future. Throngs of newcomers to Florida include college students, young workers looking for jobs, business transfers, and retirees. Some speak English. Some speak little English. Our congregations are assessing their vocation and influence in their neighborhoods. We are asking God to teach us what it means to be salt, light, and a city set on a hill. We are learning to think of parishes not merely as buildings but as the communities all around us. The Diocese of Central Florida is making it a priority to recruit, educate, and raise up new leaders, both lay and ordained, for common mission. Our Institute for Christian Studies, Cursillo, and the Commission on Ministry have joined the Rt. Rev. Gregory Brewer in helping establish new standards for discernment and training for those seeking ordination. The diocesan mission is to embody the Great Commandment and the Great Commission: to spread the gospel by showing God’s love to our neighbors in towns, regions, Florida, and across the world. (1017 E. Robinson Street, Orlando, Florida 32801; 407.423.3567; www.cfdiocese.org)
Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, Florida
Whether you live in sunny Sarasota year-round, stay here seasonally, or are visiting this beautiful city on Florida’s “cultural coast” for the first time on business or pleasure, the Church of the Redeemer, situated on Sarasota’s vibrant downtown bayfront, invites and welcomes all to worship with us. Known for its rich liturgical life and as a family church devoted to worship and service, Redeemer offers Sunday worship at 7:30, 9, and 11 a.m., and Spanish Mass at 1 p.m. Contemporary Mass is at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Weekdays, Mass is said daily at 10 a.m., with additional Masses offered Wednesday, 7:30 a.m., and Thursday, 5:30 p.m. Throughout every season, Redeemer is abundant with activity. The parish offers a multitude of ways for members and guests from the community to engage, including world-class musicians and singers, renowned guest lecturers and preachers, lively and in-depth education and fellowship, monthly Evensong, after-school and summer activities for children, Bible study, book clubs, movie nights and beach runs, and a plethora of other opportunities for fellowship and spiritual growth. We welcome you to our parish! (The Rev. Fredrick A. Robinson, rector. 222 South Palm Ave., Sarasota, Florida 34236; 941.955.4263; redeemersarasota.org; Facebook.com/RedeemerSarasota; twitter.com/RedeemerSRQ)
Trinity Church, Vero Beach, Florida
St. John's Church, Savannah, Georgia
St. John’s Church in Savannah, chartered in 1841, is an unusually traditional parish within the Episcopal Church, a church that still walks in the “old paths” of Anglican belief and practice. Committed to upholding and propagating the historic Faith and Order of the Catholic Church as set forth in the Anglican formularies and shared with the Anglican Communion, our priorities are reverent worship “in the beauty of holiness,” according to the forms preserved in the 1928 Prayer Book; teaching, preaching, administration of the Sacraments, and pastoral care grounded in Scripture and the Church’s tradition; and support for young families raising children in the faith. Its Gothic Revival church building, consecrated in 1853, is notable for its stained glass, beamed roof, and majestic reredos. The Parish House, one of Savannah’s finest antebellum mansions, is a place of hospitality for all; and Cranmer Hall (2004) provides up-to-date facilities in an attractive setting for Christian education and community outreach. (1 West Macon St., Savannah, Georgia 31401; 912.232.1251; www.stjohnssav.org)
Diocese of Springfield, Springfield, Illinois
The Diocese of Springfield is one church, organized for mission into geographic parishes, manifested in eucharistic communities and communities-in-formation, with a goal of becoming concretely present in all 60 counties of central and southern Illinois. Our focus is on forming faithful Christian disciples who are competent to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ in word and deed. (821 South Second Street, Springfield, Illinois 62704; 217.525.1876; www.episcopalspringfield.org)
St. Francis Community Services, Salina, Kansas
St. Mark's Cathedral, Shreveport, Louisiana
Fellowship, worship, and service are joined closely at St. Mark’s Cathedral, Shreveport. Newcomers are welcomed at breakfast once a month before the 10:30 service. On Wednesday nights, supper is served before the evening’s choir practices, youth programs, and a short conversational lecture for adults on Scripture and the spiritual life. The cathedral’s choral program includes the Boys and Girls Choir, dedicated to the highest musical standards, to educating and forming young people through music, and to enriching the cultural life of Shreveport. Adults participate in the Cathedral Choir, which sings a repertoire from Gregorian chant to 21st-century sacred music for the 10:30 service. The Evensong choir is an auditioned group made of up staff singers and adult volunteers who sing for weekly Choral Evensong, joining the Boys and Girls Choir. The Community Ministries is particularly concerned with meeting the needs of children, the homeless, elderly, and the victims of poverty, crime, and religious persecution, not only locally but around the world. The Cooking Crew prepares meals together monthly for several area groups. In 2014, the Cooking Crew made approximately 7,400 meals, not including those for Thanksgiving and Christmas. (908 Rutherford St. Shreveport, Louisiana 71104; 318.221.3360; www.stmarkscathedral.net)
Saint James School, Hagerstown, Maryland
Internationally recognized as one of the best small boarding schools in the country, Saint James School has remained faithful to the Anglo-Catholic tradition since its founding in 1842. Rigorous academics, daily chapel, fully developed athletics and fine arts programs, and real opportunities for student leadership and community service prepare and inspire our graduates to be “leaders for good in the world.” Located 70 miles from Washington, D.C., our 700-acre campus is a serene home for 235 students from 15 states and 18 countries. With all faculty residing on campus, close relationships between teachers and students are the core of our community. (17641 College Road, Hagerstown, Maryland 21740; 301.733.9330; www.stjames.edu)
St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue, New York, New York
We are a vibrant, diverse parish of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, located in the heart of Midtown Manhattan at 5th Avenue and 53rd Street. One of the finest examples of gothic architecture in North America, our church is open every day of the year and home to the world famous Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys. Our liturgy is beautiful, traditional, and welcoming, and our education programs are exemplary. Our community outreach activities include a Saturday soup kitchen. Our concert series is world-renowned. Our Choir School is unique and transforms boys’ lives, helping them move on after eighth grade to some of the best schools in the United States. A boarding school that offers one of the most outstanding musical educations in the nation, details on the school and admissions may be found at www.choirschool.org. (1 West 53rd St., New York, New York 10019 212.757.7013; www.SaintThomasChurch.org)
Trinity Church, Wall Street, New York, New York
Trinity Church Wall Street is a vibrant and welcoming Episcopal parish community that carries out a wide-ranging ministry of service to others. With Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel as its cornerstones in Lower Manhattan, Trinity advocates for a more just and fair world locally and globally, with partners in Africa, Asia, Europe, and across North America. Trinity’s outreach in New York City includes St. Margaret’s House, a subsidized apartment building for elderly and disabled residents; the Parish Center, a free space with neighborhood resources; a Brown Bag Lunch program that serves lunch to those in need daily; a cold-weather homeless shelter; programs to disrupt the “school-to-prison” pipeline; and an award-winning preschool. More than 20 worship services are offered every week, many of which are webcast and viewed by tens of thousands of people worldwide. Now in its fourth century of ministry, Trinity welcomes approximately 3 million visitors per year. (74 Trinity Pl., New York, New York 10006; 212.602.0800; www.trinitywallstreet.org)
Diocese of Western New York, Tonawanda, New York
The future of God’s Kingdom is the focus in the Diocese of Western New York. Through the leadership of Bishop R. William Franklin, our congregations are weaving a cooperative Web of Grace and pioneering innovative ways to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and make their facilities sustainable for generations to come. Worship in our congregations ranges from traditional Anglo-Catholic to contemporary, including multimedia, jazz, and 12-step spirituality services. We believe that all people are children of God. This belief is evident in the mission and outreach conducted by our members and in the hospitality we extend to all. (1064 Brighton Road, Tonawanda, New York 14150; 716.881.0660; www.episcopalwny.org)
St. Timothy's Church, Raleigh, North Carolina
St. Paul enjoins St. Timothy to “study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15). The people of St. Timothy’s Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, take these words seriously and attempt as best they know how to fulfill this charge as a parish family and as individual members of Christ’s body — by faithful worship according to the Book of Common Prayer, reading and studying Holy Scripture, and taking part in the fellowship of the parish family. The church supports St. Timothy’s School, founded in 1958 as the first non-public day school to be accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The school has earned an indelible reputation for high academic standards as well as Christian morals and values. (4523 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609; 919.787.7590; www.sttimothyschurch.org)
Diocese of Southern Ohio, Cincinnati, Ohio
The Diocese of Southern Ohio is home to more than 25,000 Episcopalians. Our communities of faith can be found in Cincinnati, Columbus, and Dayton, and in many farm towns and county seats across 40 counties in the southern half of the state. Southern Ohio has long been recognized for innovation and leadership throughout the Episcopal Church, and many initiatives that have carried the church through difficult times, such as Forward Movement and Episcopal Relief and Development, were born through the faithful work of the people of this diocese. This spirit of mission and inclusion carries on today through the words of our mission statement, which guide the mission and ministry of the diocese: As Episcopalians in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, we commit ourselves to know the common story, proclaim our common faith, pray our common prayer, drink the common cup, serve the common good. In the Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This is our common ministry. (412 Sycamore St., Cincinnati, Ohio 45202; 513.421.0311, diosohio.org)
Diocese of Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
The Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma covers the entire state, nearly 70,000 square miles spanning numerous geographic landscapes. It includes approximately 25,000 Episcopalians, 70 congregations, and 150 resident clergy. We are divided into six regions and support five Episcopal schools, two residential communities for mature adults, and a thriving camp and conference center, St. Crispin’s. The Diocese of Oklahoma is a member of Province VII, consisting of 12 other dioceses in close proximity. Out of all of the dioceses in the Episcopal Church, the Diocese of Oklahoma has consistently seen growth in the past several years. The State of the Church report shows that our diocese is growing at a rate of over four percent. In April 2014, our diocese held the Reclaiming the Gospel of Peace Conference, an Episcopal national gathering to challenge the epidemic of violence. Bishops, clergy, and laity from throughout the Episcopal Church explored the realities of violence and rededicated themselves to the Gospel of peace. Our current capital campaign for St. Crispin’s Camp and Conference Center will help us provide a remodel with significant enhancements to our facilities. These enhancements will allow us to more effectively serve people of all faiths who come to St. Crispin’s for rest, relaxation, and renewal. (924 N. Robinson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73102; 405.232.4820; www.epiok.org. Follow us on Twitter:?@EpiDioOK)
All Souls' Anglican Foundation, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
All Souls’ Anglican Foundation was established in 1994 by a group of parishioners from All Souls’ Episcopal Church in Oklahoma City as an independent and duly registered 501(c)(3) charitable entity. The Foundation has as its sole purpose the perpetuation and expansion of traditional Anglican worship and theology. It has over the course of the years sponsored and organized a number of theological conferences and seminars with such noted speakers as William H. Ralston, James I. Packer, Robert Crouse, Peter Kreeft, Victor Lee Austin, Sir Roger Scruton, Leander Harding, George Sumner, Ephraim Radner, Edward Salmon, Michael Hawkins, Tony Burton, and others, and has also collaborated with Mockingbird Ministries. The Foundation was also a sponsoring partner in the development of the app iPray BCP. (6909 NW Grand Blvd., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116-5001)
St. David's Church, Wayne, Pennsylvania
Rooting all things in worship, St. David’s Church, Radnor, 3,000 strong, offers a wide variety of opportunities for our parish family to grow in their faith and put their faith in action week by week, both at home and in the world. Our church’s shared life extends into learning for all ages, dozens of individual ministries, and outreach into the wider community and world. Whether it is packaging essentials for low-income children, assisting in building for our companion parishes in Guatemala, or supporting the housing, feeding, and education of 2,500 students at schools in Uganda, we continue to live into our fourth century of mission and ministry in Christ’s name. (763 S. Valley Forge Rd., Wayne, Pennsylvania 19087; 610.688.7947; www.stdavidschurch.org)
S. Stephen's Church, Providence, Rhode Island
Inspired by the ideals of the Oxford Movement almost from its founding in 1839, S. Stephen’s Church in Providence continues to proclaim the truth of the Catholic Faith within the Episcopal Church through liturgy, music, preaching, teaching, prayer, study, fellowship, and service. Its 154-year-old Richard Upjohn gothic revival church building stands in the middle of the Brown University campus. S. Stephen’s spreads the Good News through daily Masses, excellent preaching and teaching, a meal site for the homeless, and the Episcopal Campus Ministry. The parish comprises a diverse community of Christians from every walk of life who unite through Anglo-Catholic worship in the beauty of holiness. The rector, Fr. John D. Alexander, says that “the parish’s life is marked by deep fidelity to the past, hopeful anticipation of the future, and joyful engagement with the wider Church and world in the present.” (114 George St., Providence, Rhode Island 02906; 401.421.6702; www.sstephens.org)
Diocese of Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee
The Diocese of Tennessee is a eucharistic community of 16,000 Episcopalians in 45 congregations in Middle Tennessee. As followers of the risen Christ, we are: Open to the power of God: when we gather we are expecting God to show up and transform us and the communities in which we live; obedient to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ who said, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching, and proclaiming the good news to all creation”; responsive to the needs of the world, for healing and reconciliation; committed to our life together as a diocese, for the sake of the life of the world. We are thankful for the grace of God that makes all this possible. (3700 Woodmont Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee 37215; 615.251.3322; edtn.org)
St. George's Church, Nashville, Tennessee
St. George’s Church, Nashville, is a growing and vibrant parish committed to a gracious expression of Anglicanism within the Episcopal Church. Our reason for being is “to receive, live, and share the abundant life of Jesus Christ.” We see this purpose statement as the spiritual DNA embedded within each and every parish ministry. Our common life flows out of a primary commitment to beautiful, reverent, and relevant Anglican worship that places the crucified and risen Christ at the center. Our expanding discipleship ministries rest on the conviction that all Christians can be empowered to carry on the Lord’s work. With strong support (and challenge) from professional staff, more and more of our learning in Christ is lay led, feeding a dynamic leadership pipeline for the future. And by placing the Great Commandment and the Great Commission ever before us, we look beyond comfortable parochialism to an even more deliberate missional orientation, generous and passionate in outreach and evangelism. (4715 Harding Rd., Nashville, Tennessee 37205; 615.385.2150; www.stgeorgesnashville.org)
Coummunity of St. Mary Southern Province, Sewanee, Tennessee
The Community of St. Mary, Southern Province, is a women’s Benedictine community within the Episcopal Church that expresses its way of life through care for the body, the soul, and the earth. We seek to address the spiritual and temporal needs of our society through our life of prayer and solitude, our ministry to the poor, through spiritual direction and hospitality, the various endeavors of our Organic Prayer Program and our website, and through our work in churches — both in the United States and the Philippines. We serve as a spiritual resource for all seekers, especially those interested in Benedictine spirituality, care for creation, and concern for the poor. Our patron, St. Mary, is the model for our “yes” to God, through which we respond to the needs of our society and practice responsible stewardship. Our convent, gardens, and grounds represent part of our contribution to the healing of the earth and its creatures. Through them and through us, we seek to offer a quiet, friendly environment where we and others may listen to God, learn from God’s Word and from creation, and put our faith into practice by promoting a healthy, balanced, and compassionate lifestyle for all. (1100 St. Mary’s Lane, Sewanee, Tennessee 37375; http://stmary-conventsewanee.org)
Diocese of Dallas, Dallas, Texas
Robust evangelism, church plants, and Latino ministry illustrate the rich vibrancy of the Episcopal Diocese of Dallas, where 11,000 believers sit in the pews each Sunday to worship at one of our approximately 70 parishes and missions. We are Resurrection people with a mission to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ. Our diocesan borders stretch east to Arkansas, north to Oklahoma, west to Tarrant County, and dip just south of Dallas. This is where you will find us feeding the hungry, ministering to prisoners, engaging in formation, and changing lives. Come to one of our churches and experience the joy of knowing Christ and being in communion with his people. (1630 N Garrett Ave., Dallas, Texas 75206; 214.826.8310; www.edod.org)
Church of the Incarnation, Dallas, Texas
Church of the Incarnation is one of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the Episcopal Church. With creative programs for kids, students, couples, families, and seniors, Incarnation has become a magnet, especially for college students and young professionals. Enthusiastically traditional in its teaching and preaching, the church over the past three years has seen 20 parishioners come forward with a call to holy orders. To accommodate the growth of the parish and to expand its ministries among the poor, the parish raised over $27 million in a recent capital campaign. In January, Incarnation opened a new welcome center, education building, and contemporary worship chapel. Incarnation’s seven Sunday services include two Rite I Choral Eucharists, three Rite II Contemporary Uptown services with an outstanding contemporary band, and Choral Evensong. Strongly committed to living for others, the church runs a wide variety of social programs, investing over $1 million in outreach support to the poor each year, helping local children, the homeless, and those in need around the globe via missions. When in Dallas, drop by and visit us — we’d love to meet you! (3966 McKinney Ave., Dallas, Texas 75204; 214.521.5101; incarnation.org; facebook.com/IncarnationDFW; twitter.com/IncarnationDFW)
St. Michael and All Angels, Dallas, Texas
Diocese of Texas, Houston, Texas
Historically focused on evangelism, service, and reconciliation, the Episcopal Diocese of Texas seeks to be a resource for our congregations and the broader church. Several foundations support unique and inspired ministries for growth within our congregations, new church plants, and the expansion of missional communities into a diversity of settings to bring the Gospel to a world in need. Episcopal Health Foundation continues to reach into the 57 counties of the Diocese to support and encourage initiatives that bring health and wellness. The Diocese is in formal partnership with the Dioceses of North Dakota, Costa Rica, and S. Malawi, while additional mission work is carried out in additional countries in Central and South America, Africa, and throughout the United States. CampAllen welcomes more than 1,900 summer campers and hosts an additional 52,000 guests at conferences, retreats, and events annually, including the House of Bishops, Fortune 500 companies, universities, and state agencies. The Invite, Welcome, Connect ministry trains congregations to actively engage visitors and incorporate them into the life of a parish. Videos and checklists are online.Sharing Faith Dinners will be celebrated in a dozen dioceses across the country on May 19, 2016. The event brings people together in small groups around a simple meal to talk about their faith experiences. The LOGOS Project, featuring speakers like Sr. Joan Chittester and Barbara Crafton, offers short videos and small group questions for adult education. We understand our apostolic work is to become agents of transformation in the world and to use our gifts to form leaders for the Church today and in the future. (1225 Texas Avenue, Houston, Texas 77002; 800-318-4452; www.epicenter.org)
St. Martin's Church, Houston, Texas
Archbishop Justin Welby recently offered these wise words: “The best decision anyone can ever make, at any point in life, in any circumstance, whoever they are, wherever they are, is to become a disciple of Jesus Christ.” This quote fully sums up the core mission of St. Martin’s: to “make and grow disciples of Christ.” Carved into St. Martin’s pulpit are the words from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, “for I resolved to know nothing while I was amongst you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (2:2). With more than 9,200 members and an average of 18,000 events on our campus every year, there is but one, major, over-arching goal: to make Jesus Christ known in such a way that visitors as well as members come to embrace him as Lord and Savior. We are deeply committed to providing a wide array of opportunities for worship, discipleship, fellowship, service and outreach; but resting behind each of these opportunities is a deep desire to connect all people with Jesus Christ. We offer six worship services on Sundays and three on Wednesdays, a cornucopia of Christian education opportunities throughout the week, and mission initiatives in greater Houston and beyond our borders to Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Honduras. We welcome all those who seek to “know Christ and make him known.” Come join us! (717 Sage Road, Houston, Texas 77056; 713.621.3040; www.stmartinsepiscopal.org)
St. Dunstan's Church, Houston, Texas
Offering both cathedral-style services in the Catholic tradition and informal eucharistic worship with Christian praise music, St. Dunstan’s is focused on effectively reaching its community with the Good News of Jesus Christ. The parish seeks to cultivate a liturgically diverse, generously orthodox, scripturally centered, and outwardly focused group of Christ-followers who are capable of giving the gift of a joyful Anglicanism to the world. The congregation is attracting young and old alike to its blend of evangelical preaching and vibrant sacramental worship, high-quality ministries for children and youth, and commitment to service. This year, the parish enthusiastically approved the Jubilee Campaign, a three-year effort to give $900,000 in capital giving and start-up funding to our diocesan camp, our mission efforts abroad, and efforts to relieve the suffering of the poor in our community. The new Hope Center will be a flagship ministry to hardest to reach populations amongst our local homeless. (14301 Stuebner Airline Rd., Houston, Texas 77069; 281.440.1600; www.saintdunstans.org)
The Church of St. John the Divine, Houston, Texas
St. John the Divine is a multi-generational, vibrant, and exciting Episcopal congregation dedicated to Changing Lives for God in Christ. We seek to live out God’s calling for us through four purposes: transform lives through a personal relationship with Jesus; mobilize our whole parish to serve others and change the world; equip the body of Christ to do the work of God; strengthen the church to grow vibrant communities of faith. Conveniently located inside Houston’s inner loop, St. John the Divine offers traditional services with organ and choir, contemporary services with band, and Awesome Worship, a service created for young children and their families. Each service offers authentic worship and shows how God can change lives today. (2450 River Oaks Blvd. at Westheimer, Houston, Texas 77019; 713.622.3600; www.sjd.org)
Christ Church, San Antonio, Texas
<em>Drawing, Changing & Sending People through the Power of Christ</em> is the mission statement of Christ Church, and we live it. Situated in urban San Antonio, Christ Church <em>draws</em> people from 15 zip codes and from all walks of life. The leading edge of our robust growth has been individuals and families, who are between 20 and 40 years old. They come to be <em>changed</em>, as we expect all newcomers to complete <em>Christ Church 1.0, 2.0 & 3.0</em>, which invite participants into the foundational truths and life of our exciting Christian faith. And all of us expect to be <em>sent</em>. Every year we send mission teams to Honduras, Guatemala, Uganda, and into inner cities across the United States. All we need is for you to join us on this Gospel adventure! (510 Belknap Place, San Antonio, Texas 78212; 210.736.3132; www.cecsa.org)
Jerusalem Peacebuilders, West Brattleboro, Vermont
The future of Jerusalem is the future of the world, and Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) both works and prays for the peace of Jerusalem. JPB promotes peace by offering Jewish, Christian, and Muslim youth from Jerusalem and the United States the opportunity to become one family. Our summer programs in Israel, Houston, and Vermont empower teens to be leaders by focusing on spiritual resilience, interfaith understanding, lifelong friendships, and social justice. God’s merciful grace abounds, and our intensive, high-quality programs change the trajectory of our participants’ lives. Currently we are launching new programs for youth in Connecticut and for young professionals in Vermont. A passion for peace drives our mission; volunteer and institutional partnerships power our program. Pray and work with us for the peace of Jerusalem. (PO Box 2020, West Brattleboro, Vermont 05301; 802.254.0068; www.jerusalempeacebuilders.org)
Cathedral Church of All Saints, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
The Cathedral Church of All Saints has served as a center for mission, formation, and worship in the Diocese of Milwaukee since 1873. More than 100 saints depicted in the windows and statuary keep vigil over a sacred space that is steeped in prayer and incense. Blessed Jackson Kemper, the first Bishop of Wisconsin, envisioned a cathedral that would be a center for formation, ministry, and worship. All Saints’ strives to live into that vision in the context of the 21st century. The liturgies at the cathedral allow worshipers to escape our loud and raucous world by offering a moment of transcendence. The 10 a.m. service on Sunday features a 30-voice choir that is unsurpassed in Milwaukee. All Saints’ is also resident to five ensembles and hosts numerous musical events throughout the year. The cathedral congregation extends service to the community through cooking and serving meals to the homeless and inner-city residents, and by underwriting feeding ministries with funds raised at the annual Hunger Book Sale, which generated $20,000 in the past year. (818 East Juneau Ave., Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202; 414.271.7719; www.ascathedral.org)