Organizations and Networks

Below is a list of groups affiliated with The Episcopal Church that provide resources, collaborations, ministry memberships, disaster assistance, and other services.

Anglican Observer at the United Nations
These web pages are a new educational resource to help Anglicans-Episcopalians around the world in a timely way as they seek information about issues, debates and actions at the United Nations.

Association of Anglican Musicians
Founded in 1966, the Association of Anglican Musicians is a member-led nonprofit of musicians and clergy serving in The Episcopal Church and internationally within the Anglican Communion. Recognizing that the music of the church finds its primary expression within the framework of the liturgy, this Association takes as its purpose the elevation, stimulation, and support of music and the allied arts in all their aspects in The Episcopal Church and the larger Anglican tradition, and especially in their relationship to liturgy.

Association of Episcopal Chaplains
The mission and purpose of the association is to foster chaplaincy as an essential expression of the church’s healing ministry in response to the gospel imperative.

Association for Episcopal Deacons
An organization in The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Church of Canada that promotes renewal of the diaconate, supports deacons and dioceses with deacons, and engages in theological dialogue about diakonia.

Bible and Common Prayer Book Society
The Bible and Common Prayer Book Society is an independent charitable organization that exists for a single purpose – to help provide worship materials for worshipping communities. The Society’s earliest grants were confined to Bibles and Books of Common Prayer, but our ministry has also grown to include The Hymnal and other musical resources such as Wonder, Love and Praise. It now also includes worship resources in other languages, most notably Spanish.

Church Periodical Club
Church Periodical Club is an Episcopal institution whose ministry is to supply books, magazines, tapes, videos and computer programs free to those who cannot otherwise obtain them, and to raise the money to achieve this.

Church Publishing Inc. (CPI)
This official organization produces prayer books, hymnals, and other titles mandated by the General Convention through the Standing Commission on Liturgy and Music. In addition, Church Publishing carries works on liturgy, music, homiletics, church history, liturgical theology, Anglican spirituality, contemporary global Anglicanism, and emerging issues, as well as recorded music, and a growing list of software products and online services. Contact: Nancy Bryan (nabryan@cpg.org) – Editorial Director – Books & Music

College for Bishops
The College for Bishops provides a community of formation and education for newly-consecrated, active and retired bishops of the Episcopal Church, assisting them to better serve as leaders in God’s mission.

Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion
The Colleges and Universities of the Anglican Communion (CUAC) was formed as a worldwide association of Anglican colleges and universities of higher education as a result of an International Conference of representatives assembled at Canterbury in 1993.

Conference of Anglican Religious Orders of the Americas (CAROA)
CAROA includes 20 religious communities in the Americas that are part of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Some of these Orders are of men, some of women, and some include both. There is great diversity among our communities in terms of worship practice and standard of living, but all our communities embrace celibacy, community of goods, and obedience to a rule and constitution. Each year, the work of this and related organizations is marked and celebrated on Religious Life Sunday.

Episcopal Camps and Conference Centers, Inc.
A religious, nonprofit organization within The Episcopal Church. All diocesan-related camps and conference centers and their respective directors are automatically members. Active participants are primarily professionals who see their work as ministry.

Episcopal Church Building Fund
The Episcopal Church Building Fund aids in the building, improvement, and repair of churches, rectories, parochial, and diocesan buildings by providing assistance in planning and loans, and to aid in the development of congregations.

Episcopal Church Foundation
ECF is an independent, lay-led organization that helps congregations, dioceses and other Episcopal communities of faith engage in visioning and planning, develop leadership and raise and manage resources for ministry. Our mission is to be a comprehensive and holistic resource that helps vitalize Episcopal faith communities. ECF Vital Practices is a ministry of ECF – it offers vestry members and church leaders, resources and tools to respond to the changing needs of the Church.

Episcopal Communicators
A self-supporting organization of persons with communication responsibilities in The Episcopal Church. The association works to strengthen the community of the Church; foster the development of communication expertise within the Church; serve as an advocate for the ministry of communication; provide a forum for discussion of communication issues in the Church; and provide mutual support and fellowship.

The Episcopal Community
We are women of The Episcopal Church called into community to support one another in a life focused on our Baptismal Covenant in order that we may be more effective disciples in the church and the world.

Episcopal Cursillo
A movement in the church whose purpose is to help those in the church understand their individual callings to be Christian leaders. A faith-building ministry that combines a structured, highly-interactive weekend of talks, discussion, prayer, singing, and fun, with ongoing opportunities for small group interaction and faith-sharing.

The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS)
By providing resources and training at low or no cost to clergy and lay stewardship leaders, the mission of The Episcopal Network for Stewardship is to transform stewardship leaders, preparing them to raise money for ministry, to nurture awareness about and to teach the way of generosity, and to promote the full participation of church members through the giving of their time, talent, and treasure.

Episcopal Preaching Foundation
The mission of the Episcopal Preaching Foundation (EPF) has been to improve, support, and enhance preaching in The Episcopal Church. 

Episcopal Relief & Development
Episcopal Relief & Development is an effective, reliable, and vital ministry of The Episcopal Church in communities around the world. It provides emergency assistance in times of disaster, rebuilds devastated communities after the immediate crisis is over, and offers long-term solutions to help people sustain safer, healthier, and more productive lives.

Forward Movement
Forward Movement is an official, non-profit agency of The Episcopal Church whose mission is to create compelling content for Christian living. Since 1935 we have published the quarterly devotional Forward Day by Day, as well as pamphlets, booklets, and books that encourage and nourish people in their lives of prayer and faith.

Historical Society of the Episcopal Church
Since 1910, the Historical Society of the Episcopal Church has focused on promoting the preservation and sharing the history of The Episcopal Church and its Anglican tradition.

Living Stones Partnership
We practice collaborative leadership and work, examine systemic issues, offer professional consultation, and to engage in ongoing Biblical and theological reflection as the members encourage new ways of engaging in baptismal ministry.

National Altar Guild Association (NAGA)
The purpose of the National Altar Guild Association (NAGA) is to assist parish, diocesan, and provincial altar guilds through information, resources, and communication.

National Association of Episcopal Christian Communities (NAECC)
NAECC represents a form of religious life in the Episcopal Church, rooted in the monastic tradition, which requires member communities to follow a rule of life and to be under appropriate ecclesial authority. While some practice a lifestyle similar to that of monastics, most follow their rule while supporting ourselves and living in their own homes. Each year, the work of this and related organizations is marked and celebrated on Religious Life Sunday.

National Association of Episcopal Schools
The National Association of Episcopal Schools, an independently incorporated, voluntary membership organization, supports, serves and advocates for the vital work and ministry of those who serve 1000 Episcopal schools, Early Childhood Education programs.

SIM – The Society for the Increase of the Ministry
Our bold vision is to see theological education suitably funded in The Episcopal Church and the calling process more accountable for effectively generating gifted, innovative ordained leaders to increase the ministry of The Episcopal Church.

Vergers’ Guild of The Episcopal Church
The purpose of the VGEC is to encourage, through the fellowship and work of the Guild, the sharing of ideas, skills, and pertinent information among the members, to promote communication between members of the Guild at all levels as a way of maintaining the pastoral, administrative, and liturgical traditions of the office of verger in The Episcopal Church, to provide mutual assistance by advice and counsel with on-the-job problems experienced by members of the Guild, and to organize and promote courses of training in the office of verger.