Holy Ground for Whole Communities officially began with our Cohort 1 Orientation, and it was a deeply meaningful start to what promises to be a transformative season for congregations across the Diocese of the Great Lakes.
Fifteen congregations gathered on Zoom—clergy and lay leaders, longtime members and newer voices—crossing a shared threshold into this work together. Orientation was both practical and profound: grounded in prayer, attentive to relationships, and spacious enough to invite reflection rather than rush toward outcomes. We slowed down, named why this work matters now, and began to cultivate a shared language for seeing land, buildings, and community as sacred assets for the common good.
Participants were introduced to the full arc of the program, including the four-session formation series, in-person gathering in April, upcoming site visits with Partners for Sacred Places, and the $7,000 regrant each congregation will receive to support their discerned project. We also welcomed our Episcopal Service Corps Fellows, who will accompany congregations as companions in listening, reflection, and story capture throughout the journey.
Our next Session focused on asset-based thinking and community stakeholders, led by Partners for Sacred Places. From there, congregations will continue meeting, reflecting, and discerning together, supported by Fellows, diocesan staff, and partners.
Holy Ground for Whole Communities is just beginning, but already it is clear: something important is taking root. We are grateful for the courage and openness of this first cohort and look forward to what will grow from this shared season of reverence and resilience.
– Dr. Jess Kidder, Program Manager for Holy Ground for Whole Communities