• Adult Formation
• Children's Formation
• Spiritual Renewal

• 1. What is the Spiritual Health of your Church?
• 2. What is your Church's role in growing Disciples.

RevealWorks, which was developed by Willow Creek Church in South Barrington, Illinois, generates powerful information about what members want and need from their church and has been a catalyst for significant revitalization and growth in hundreds of congregations. A summary of Episcopal beliefs and practices was articulated and the survey was customized for use in Episcopal Congregations, creating the Episcopal Spiritual Life Survey. The survey findings can help us shape decisions about how to create the best possible ministries and programs for St James Cathedral. Through considering expertly evaluated survey data, we can effectively use parishioner feedback to directly impact how we allocate resources to further our spiritual journeys.

The congregation of St. James  has been invited to participate in the diocesan-wide spiritual initiative that will invite us to engage our spiritual life as a congregation and as Christians living and working in the world.

Over 250,000 Christians, in mainline and non-denominational churches, have taken the survey, which will provide powerful benchmarks.

Our bishop, Jeffrey Lee, has encouraged us to pursue this process. His letter of invitation is below.

January 19, 2012

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The heart of the ministry of the Bishop's office is to be a resource for congregational vitality. A healthy diocese is a community of vibrant congregations, just as a vital congregation is a community of spiritually vital members. We have often focused on developing diocesan and parish programs and activities when the greater potential lies in addressing directly the spiritual lives of our members.

Episcopal Spiritual Life Renewal seeks to foster new life in congregations by supporting the spiritual renewal of their members. The process begins with a survey of the spiritual convictions and practices of people in a congregation and provides a snap shot of the strengths and weaknesses in the spiritual life of parishioners. This assessment allows parish leaders to develop ministry plans that address the spiritual needs and aspirations of people in the parish.

Episcopal Spiritual Life Renewal is a bold initiative, undertaken first by Church of the Holy Spirit in Lake Forest, and now being engaged by 12 congregations in our diocese, St. James Cathedral being one of them. Partnering with the Church of the Holy Spirit in ESLR are the Diocese of Chicago and Seabury Western Seminary. This is a pilot project that we believe will generate important insight into how we can foster spiritual growth among our members. We consider this a work in progress and will continue to develop the survey and the follow up resources. We welcome your participation and response to this adventure.

Faithfully,

Jeffrey D. Lee

Bishop of Chicago