Cohort 3 of Requiem or Renaissance Celebrates a Year of Work
Cohort 3 of Requiem or Renaissance gathered September 5-6 from across the Diocese to celebrate and conclude their work together in the revitalization and re-imagining
program. Participating parishes gathered on Zoom on Friday night and in person on Saturday at Church of the Advent in Crestwood.
Saturday opened with Holy Eucharist celebrated by Bishop with a twist—the Requiem or Renaissance teams gave the sermon! Each team stood and shared with the group their response to the following question: “How has God surprised and delighted you in your time in Requiem or Renaissance?” Responses ran the gamut from “making new friends across the diocese” to “learning what we needed to let go” to “starting new ministries with the energy we discovered within ourselves.” The parish teams found themselves proclaiming Good News in the worship service.
Requiem or Renaissance Shepherds led sessions for the group throughout the rest of the day, including “The Discernment Journey Continues,” “Touchstones of Change- Making,” and “Building a Map for What’s Next.” The teams were also able to compare notes and support one another in setting goals for their next season of ministry.
As the main sessions carried on, each team came one by one to sit down with Bishop Deon and Canon Whitney to share with them the fruit of their time in Requiem or Renaissance. Their presentations were structured around three questions: “Where are you seeing Requiem in your community? Where are you seeing Renaissance? What is God calling your faith community to do and be next?”
The teams had used the Requiem or Renaissance process to tackle a wide variety of challenges, from clergy transitions to discerning the future of specific outreach ministries to developing their own evangelism practices to spiritual gifts assessments and secular partnership building outside their walls. Their depth and engagement was truly
impressive and reflected lay leaders and clergy committed to following the Spirit’s lead.
Each team left the retreat having written down 3 concrete goals for the next six months and placed them in a sealed envelope. That envelope will be mailed to them in March 2026, when they can be reminded of their aspirations, check in on how they’re doing, and ask for additional help as needed and/or celebrate their ongoing work of ministry.
If you and your congregation have an interest in doing Requiem or Renaissance work, either participating in the program or learning about how you can use and adapt specific elements of it in your ministry context, please reach out to Canon Whitney, and she’ll be happy to help you. 27 of the 41 faith communities in the diocese have now taken part and can also lend their support and perspective to neighbors seeking new ways to do and be church in a changing age.