Include The Episcopal Church in your vacation plans.
This summer, Episcopal churches across the country are encouraging their members to worship while they are on vacation, and to share that experience with the parish back home. No matter where you find yourself on your summer travels, take the time to visit another church while you are away from home.
Vacations are times for renewal and recreation. Worship fits right in with those objectives!
• Take a picture of yourselves with the church sign and email it to your home church.
• Post a photo on your Facebook wall and that of your home church and the one you visited. Share it with our Unapologetically Episcopalian community.
• If you have a great story to share that will inspire others, send it to Episcopal Cafe or Forward Movement.
• Bring back a bulletin to share on your home church bulletin board.
• Visit other Episcopal Church ministries in the places where you travel – camps, conference centers, schools, retirement homes, hospitals, missions.
• Deliver a token of friendship from your Episcopal Church to the ones you visit. It can be something as simple as a flyer you create and print before leaving home. Something like, "Joe and Mary Smith from Calvary Episcopal Church in Ashland, Kentucky were here. Thanks for welcoming us!" Be creative, involve your family in the design and creation, and have fun doing it.
Some of our Episcopal Churches are awarding prizes for the farthest from home and the most churches visited. Our members bring back some interesting stories and fresh ideas that can reinvigorate parish life and mission. Networking with new friends in other Episcopal Churches across the country can strengthen the entire communion. And don’t forget those Anglican sisters and brothers in other countries.
Remember that others who are traveling will be visiting your Episcopal Church, so be sure to help roll out the red carpet. And, when you are entertaining summer guests, bring them to church and celebrate their visit on social media!
Is your Episcopal Church easy to find on the internet? Check to see if the address, service times, and contact information are up to date on the website. Also check the Episcopal Church Find-a-Church website to be sure the information there is correct for your congregation. If your congregation has not signed on to Faith Street, we recommend it. It’s a great place to go when you are looking for a church near where you are traveling.