Exploring stewardship as a response of faithfulness will be the major focus of the 2013 Conference of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) on July 12 and 13 at the Episcopal Commons of Utah in Salt Lake City, Diocese of Utah.

The conference, centering on the theme Flourish in Faith, is designed to offer congregational and diocesan stewardship teams the theological, scriptural and practical aspects of stewardship information and annual giving.

Keynote presenters include J. Clif Christopher, well-known author of Not Your Parents Offering Plate and Rich Church Poor Church, and Bishop Bruce Caldwell, retired bishop of the Diocese of Wyoming. In addition, sixteen workshops will be offered on topics that range from capital campaign readiness to stewardship in Latino congregations. A listing of workshops is available here:  http://www.tens.org/

This year, the opening worship, three plenary addresses and four workshops will be broadcast to the wider church through a webcast registration fee. “We envision people gathering in parish halls and parishioner’s homes to explore, engage and enrich their own stewardship journey and the stewardship practices of their congregations—from Portland, Oregon to Portland Maine and everywhere in between,” explained the Rev. Laurel Johnston, Executive Director of TENS. Johnston, past member of the TENS Board of Directors since 2009, has been named Executive Director for TENS. Previously, Johnston served as the Program Officer for Stewardship for The Episcopal Church. 

Under a grant program approved by General Convention 2012 in the churchwide budget and designed to strengthen partnerships with ministry organizations, The Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) awarded TENS a grant sufficient to hire Johnston for a period of three years.  DFMS will also provide additional partnership support through human resources, information technology, and collaborative initiatives.

“Laurel brings extensive experience in fundraising as well as well-developed theology of money and stewardship,” commented JR Lander, President of the TENS Board of Directors.  “She will invest considerable time in cultivating resources both in terms of monetary gifts and in kind support from long time partners such as the Episcopal Church Foundation.”

Conference and registration is available here http://www.tens.org/2013-conference/

For more information contact Johnston, ljohnston@tens.org.

The Episcopal Church: www.episcopalchurch.org

Diocese of Utah: http://www.episcopal-ut.org/

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