People often ask if there is an ECC church near where they live and too often our present communities are not close enough for them to attend. However, this doesn’t mean you cannot have an ECC community! There is a contact form below. Fill it out if you want more information. Here is what you need to do in order to start an ECC faith community:
- Go to our resources page and do some reading about what it means to be an Ecumenical Catholic.
- Attend mass at one of our parishes either in person or online to get to know us better. Our communities celebrate mass both in person and online.
- Gather at least 5 people that are interested in the ECC and talk about the ECC.
- Contact the diocesan bishop, Bishop Kedda Keough (bishopkedda@comcast.net) and let her know that you are interested and plan to form a community.
- Invite the bishop to a gathering and have a conversation about the history and ecclesiology of the ECC. Get your questions answered. Celebrate mass with the bishop as part of this gathering.
- Make a decision with others that you would like to start an ECC community. Study the vision statement and constitution of this diocese.
- Decide where you would like to meet as a community. It is certainly possible to meet in someone’s home, but we have discovered that it is best to meet in a neutral space. Newcomers are reluctant to come to someone’s home. Remember, church can happen anywhere there is space. Often you will find that other churches are happy to make room for you. But you can also meet in other spaces, like public libraries, community centers, conference rooms, or any place set aside for public meetings. You may need to pay a rental fee. You will begin as a mission under the umbrella of an established parish for financial and insurance reasons.
- Let the bishop know that you are ready to start gathering as a community. Until you have your own clergy you will need to pay a stipend to cover the expense for a priest presider to come celebrate mass with you. Your community can also celebrate a lay led Eucharist with a liturgy that the bishop will provide for you, if this works better for your community. When you are a lay led community, the bishop is your pastor.
- Once you are gathering as a church community you will be expected to pay attention to the gifts and talents of your people and call forth leadership. You are expected to be open to ordained ministry and to call forth those you believe are being called by God to this ministry. We are a synodal church and this means that we make decisions together. Send delegates to the diocesan council meetings.
- Incorporate with the state, open your own bank account, get insurance, and become an ECC parish of our diocese.
