Episode 71: Formation, Evangelism, and the Good News
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The Reverend Marcus Halley is the current Dean of Formation for the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Missional Priest in Charge at Church of the Holy Spirit in West Haven, Connecticut, and author of the forthcoming book from Church Publishing – Proclaim!. Prior to coming to Connecticut, Marcus served as the rector of Saint Paul’s Church in Minneapolis and Missioner for Evangelism for the Episcopal Church in Minnesota.
He is passionate about all things liturgical, historical, ecclesial, and missional and can be found somewhere baking, praying, writing, reading, or randomly dancing to Steve Wonder songs. Welcome Marcus! Marcus shares a bit of his story from joining the Episcopal Church in seminary in Atlanta and finding himself ordained. Early in his ministry he realized that he was more interested in serving smaller, “scrappier” churches, which brought him to Minnesota. In Minnesota, Marcus helped rework the understanding of “rector” in the parish he was serving and took on a part-time role on the diocesan staff working for Evangelism. He was able to practice the Evangelism tools he was sharing at his own parish — his “laboratory.” |
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One thing Marcus was focused on in Minnesota was the lifting up of lay leadership. Marcus shares some things that he was able to try-on with his parish that worked, including rethinking the transition of vestry members. He tells a story of a parish he worked with in Minnesota about their realization of the community shifting.
Marcus says that Evangelism is living deeply into the spirit, deeply into the relationship with Jesus Christ, and in that responding to grace. He says that Good News must be good news for the oppressed or it is good news to no one, and the church must respond to that Good News and share it.
Alli and Marcus talk about storytelling and the powerful of sharing how the good news is lived out in one’s life, and sharing one's relationship with God. Marcus reflects on the psalms and the widespread spectrum of relationship with God that the psalmist shares. Marcus tells Alli about his own understanding of formation and evangelism in the Episcopal Church and working with people to fully embrace themselves as evangelists.
As the new Dean of Formation at the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Marcus shares how he looks to form leaders in the church, both lay and ordained. This looks like, for Marcus, more attention to adult formation in parishes, and encouraging lay leaders within the community in more roles than the vestry.
Marcus says that Evangelism is living deeply into the spirit, deeply into the relationship with Jesus Christ, and in that responding to grace. He says that Good News must be good news for the oppressed or it is good news to no one, and the church must respond to that Good News and share it.
Alli and Marcus talk about storytelling and the powerful of sharing how the good news is lived out in one’s life, and sharing one's relationship with God. Marcus reflects on the psalms and the widespread spectrum of relationship with God that the psalmist shares. Marcus tells Alli about his own understanding of formation and evangelism in the Episcopal Church and working with people to fully embrace themselves as evangelists.
As the new Dean of Formation at the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, Marcus shares how he looks to form leaders in the church, both lay and ordained. This looks like, for Marcus, more attention to adult formation in parishes, and encouraging lay leaders within the community in more roles than the vestry.
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In Christ and Coffee,
Alli
In Christ and Coffee,
Alli