Identity

Episcopal Identity &

Episcopal Social Ministries

Core and Secondary Episcopal Identity Themes Christ as Central Sacramental The Book of

Common Prayer Incarnational Scriptural Pastoral

Reason Inclusion Tradition Common Liturgy Ceremonial Experience Source of Societal

change Responsive to

Societal ChangeFrom Around the Table

How do we differ from parishes etc.? Staff Clients Contracts with

government

How do other Institutional Groups handle Identity?

Lutheran Social Services

Just as a craftsman identifies a work by a hallmark embedded in the product, so the work of Lutheran social ministry has Lutheran identity deeply embedded in the effort, initiatives and care done in the name of the many organizations across Lutheran Services in America.

In searching to uncover and raise up these unique identity markers, they have come to be called Lutheran hallmarks.

These hallmarks are vital for what it means to be both Lutheran and Christian in social ministry.

These Lutheran hallmarks are both intrinsic to the work of social ministry organizations and are explicitly demonstrated in the life of the organization.

They are often not only visible in surprising ways, but are also highly supportive to the workers, the leaders and to those receiving care,

as well as evident to a public who watches from afar.

I. Creation DIGNITY AND WORTH Lutheran social ministry organizations

demonstrate fundamental belief in the goodness of creation and dignity of all people.

II. Grace RESPONDING TO GOD’S LOVE Lutheran social ministry organizations act

with courage, humility and hope recognizing that salvation is God’s gift of grace received through faith.

III. Cross and resurrection HOPE IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING Lutheran social ministry

organizations, as institutions of the Church, are marked by the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

IV. Vocation VALUING CALLING AND WORK Lutheran social ministry

organizations demonstrate a commitment to supporting the vocation of all people and an understanding of the vocation of the organization.

V. Faith practices MARKS OF MINISTRY IN OUR MIDST Lutheran social ministry

organizations evidence traditional marks of the church in their institutional life.

All Christian communities, even the most ecumenical and diverse of Episcopal schools, are upheld by the basic principles of the Baptismal Covenant.

As expressed in The Book of Common Prayer, this Covenant maintains that individuals and institutions are called by God to adopt certain fundamental disciplines and dispositions in order to embrace fully their basic identities.

As embodiments of the Christian faith: Episcopal schools are created to be communities that honor,

celebrate and worship God as the center of life. They are created to be models of God’s love and grace. They are created to serve God in Christ in all persons,

regardless of origin, background, ability, or religion. They are created to “strive for justice and peace among all

people and [to] respect the dignity of every human being.” These principles are the basis on which identity and vocation

are to be defined in Episcopal schools

Are There Episcopal “Hallmarks”?

Is there an Episcopal/Anglican Social Teaching that can inform our identity as social ministries?

The first thing to say is that it mirrors the diffuse nature of Anglican polity

There is no neat lineage of encyclicals or bodies of magisterial thought

But yes, it can be found Yes Virginia, there is an

Anglican Social Teaching

We have to look at general theology about the nature of Church

Pastoral Letters of the Presiding Bishops

Social policy statements, resolutions, motions of General Convention and Executive Council

Anglican Social Teaching

Rooted in the Bible

Continually developed in Anglican Social Teaching

Reinforced by our “Classic” Anglican method

-- Observe, judge, act

ScriptureTradition Reason

The Baptismal Covenant

Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers

Will you persevere in resisting evil, and, whenever you fall into sin, repent and return to the Lord? 

Will you proclaim by word and example the Good News of God in Christ?

Will you seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving your neighbor as yourself?

Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?

The Five Marks of the Mission of the Church

proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God

teach, baptize and nurture new believers

respond to need with loving service seek to transform the unjust

structures of society struggle to safeguard the integrity

of Creation, sustain and renew life on earth.

The Anglican Consultative Council, 1984, 1990

2009 General Convention

Constitutive Elements of Church

Word Scriptures, tradition, preaching teaching, etc.

kerygma Witness As a community

koinonia Worship Sacraments, prayer, etc.

leitourgia World Social mission, action for social

justicediakonia

PURPOSETo be the organizational expression of the diaconal ministry of the Church: to interpret to the Church the needs, concerns, and hopes of the world, and to show Christ's people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself.

. "I have no desire to make windows into men's souls,"

Major Themes from Anglican Social Teaching

Human dignity Community Rights and duties Option for the poor Participation Dignity of work and the rights of workers Stewardship of Creation Role of Government Promotion of Peace

One Response to all This

ECS Long Island

As the social service agency of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island, Episcopal Community Services Long Island (ECS) has a service philosophy that flows from the demands of our Anglican tradition enshrined in the call to:

Strive for justice and peace among all people Respect the dignity of every human being Respond to human need by loving service,

and Seek to transform the unjust structures of

society.

Interwoven into our provision of services and our life as an agency, are three basic practices that represent these values:

Practice of compassion and justice Commitment to excellence in service

delivery and organizational management

Commitment to stewardship of resources

Stewardship

Stewardship is the realization that the resources we have as an agency are not “ours,” but entrusted to us for the benefit of the individuals and communities we seek to serve.

Stewardship involves sharing the material resources we hold and giving them in service, justice, and compassion

Because of our belief in the value of every human person, our stewardship must go beyond financial resources and also include: 

Recognizing the gifts and talents that we bring as members of this agency and place in the service of our communities; and

Wisely using our human resources, time, abilities, and relationships

This aspect of our stewardship of gifts calls us to guard against staff burnout, to ensure greater skill in time management, and at times, to offer service beyond the bounds of our job descriptions.

ECS commits itself to creating support systems and opportunities that will enable our staff and volunteers to flourish and grow in their service within our agency and in their own lives as people of value and worth. 

Questions Moving Ahead

Which Episcopal hallmarks seem to be most evident in your current setting?

How does your Episcopal identity get expressed in practice, internally and externally?

What should ECSA be thinking about in terms of helpful resources for sustaining and strengthening Episcopal identity?

How can you incorporate this conversation into your organization?

How would you like to be involved in this ongoing conversation?