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Frequently Asked Questions

What is Episcopal Village?

Episcopal Village' is a wholistic, grassroots initiative and community, supporting Episcopal dioceses, parishes and leaders in 'mission shaped' and 'fresh expression' outreach, church planting, ministry starts and leadership development, drawing on the giftings of the Anglican ethos and using a 'village' (diocesan approach).

At a future date EPV hopes to curate a grants program for start up and seed funding some emerging/fresh expressions missions across the Episcopal Church.

EPV was visioned by Jon Myers (a postulant and emerging mission planter in the Diocese of Olympia) planting Beacon Hill Church Plant in the Beacon Hill district in south Seattle, and Karen Ward (An Episcopal priest and church planter of Church of the Apostles, in the Fremont district of north Seattle, Diocese of Olympia).

The village is 'populated' by Episcopalians and ecumenical friends who partner to identify, resource and support emerging/fresh expression leaders and communities within the Episcopal Church. It takes a village to raise a child; and it takes a church village to raise new churches and new forms of mission. The village is one way for mission shaped dioceses to be cultivated and emerging/fresh expression Episcopal communities and collectives to be conceived, develop and receive leadership training, resources, and a network of ongoing support, to help them germinate, grow and develop during their formative years of life. 

Who are the leaders of EpV?

The Rev. Karen M. Ward is the missioner / director of Episcopal Village. Our program board and advisory board are developing and will add additional members. Those serving currently are:

Advisory Board:

Program Board:

  • The Rev. Kurt Neilson, Rector of Sts. Peter and Paul Episcopal Church, Portland, Oregon and author of the book 'Urban Iona.'
  • The Rev. Stephanie Spellers, founder of The Crossing Community in Boston, MA and the author of the book 'Radical Welcome.'
  • The Rev. Karen M. Ward, EPV missioner is Abbess and founding Vicar of Church of the Apostles (COTA) in Seattle, WA). Karen is also the founder of Anglimergent.org, 'a network of diverse Anglicans engaging emerging church and mission.'

How does it work?  

Donations given to EPV will be used to seed fund some of the costs involved to curate annual mission learning events, and to provide scholarships for emerging/fresh expressions pioneer missioners, interns and seminarians to receive training via placements, residencies and internships.

Who is the fiscal agent and can I write this off on my taxes?

Church of the Apostles, Seattle WA is the fiscal agent currently. Church of the Apostles uses a well administered fund accounting system to track all donations and provide year end statments for donations $10 and over.

You can feel comfortable donating any amount. Donate via check sent and payable to 'Church of the Apostles' or 'COTA' 4272 Fremont Ave N, Seattle, WA 98103 and noted bottom left 'Episcopal Village' OR DONATE ONLINE HERE

What is 'new' or innovative about Episcopal Village?

EpV Innovation P2P

EpV is unique is that it is grassroots conceived, developed and guided by experienced, entreprenurial, emerging/fresh expressions missional leaders and practitioners in the Episcopal Church.

A similar initiative has been established in the Church of England, much prior to work in North Americain called 'Fresh Expressions' of church. The term 'fresh expressions' comes from the UK. In North America the term emerging church is employed more frequently, but the aims are similar. In EpV will refer to 'emerging/fresh expressions' of church and mission.

Within 3-5 years, EpV also aims to administer a seed grants program to help fund emerging/fresh expressions of church in our diocese. It is our belief that sound determinations can be made for start up funding of entreprenurial and generative Episcopal mission projects, by having a grants board that includes generative, Episcopal mission entrepreneurs. Thus, EpV aims to be an authentic, wholistic, and 'peer2peer' ecosystem for emerging mission leadership training, support, development and resourcing for the Episcopal Church.