I am delighted to share my experience at the Episcopal Parish Network’s 2025 Conference, held in Kansas City, MO, from February 24th to 28th. This year’s conference was the 40th anniversary of the conference and was a gathering of minds and hearts, dedicated to the growth and development of our parishes and the greater Church. The sessions were both inspiring and informative, providing valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities we face in our ministries. Dean Penny and Chapter member Demetreus Gregg also attended the conference.
I spent time on Tuesday all day 2/25 and Wednesday morning 2/26/25 in the pre-conference sessions for the “Parish Administrators” track, which focused on security on campus and training for staff and volunteers. I was able to reconnect with several fellow “admins” from last year’s convention (from AL, NYC, MO, and more). It was fun to get to visit and share our collective experiences. We also shared a meal on Tuesday evening at a restaurant called Wiseguy which was Italian and very tasty.
In addition, I attended the regular conference workshops that ran Wednesday afternoon 2/26 thru Friday 2/28/15. They focused on “Reimagining Parish Property” which consisted of three workshops: #1: Reimagining Our Assets: What Do You Hold in Your Hand?, #2 Reimagining the Buildings You Already Have, and #3 Sacred Spaces,, Thriving Places: Stewarding Church Grounds and Community Engagement.
One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to present a 20-minute case study on our campus redevelopment and the creation of our Rental Revenue Project over the past several years. This project has been a significant milestone for our Cathedral, and I was thrilled to share our journey and successes with fellow attendees. The presentation was well-received, and I am grateful to Dean Penny for capturing it on video. You can watch the presentation (recorded in two parts ) on YouTube here (Part 1) and here (Part 2).
The conference also provided ample opportunities for networking and collaboration. I had the pleasure of connecting with many potentially useful contact and vendors. I was able to meet several people interested in hearing more about the Rental Revenue Project and how it can be applied to their church. It’s an exciting opportunity to collaborate with other Episcopalians across the country. The energy and enthusiasm of the attendees were truly inspiring, and I am confident that the relationships forged during this event will lead to fruitful collaborations in the future.
The exhibition hall turned out to be fruitful, also. Aside from the copious “swag” and goodies to take home, I was able to connect with a security vendor to help discuss funding and evaluation of security on campus. Simon from Kingswood Security Consulting has given me some hope of capturing funding through the government via federal and state funding opportunities. There is one we’ve tried in the past, and haven’t succeeded, but his professional and thorough approach might be just what we need to achieve success, so conversations are starting with the Buildings & Grounds Committee as well as several others because of the financial expense of Simon’s expertise and services. Yet another thread to chase down post-conference, but such a great lead that could be very lucrative for SPC.
For an excursion, we were lucky enough to go to Kansas City’s Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. We were treated to a wonderful full Eucharist with choir in their historic and beautiful sanctuary. There were stained glass windows by Louis Comfort Tiffany that were exquisite. Photos included for your pleasure:
We were lucky enough at Grace and Holy Trinity to be fed the most delightful Kansas City BBQ. It was from local legend Joe’s Kansas City BBQ, and lived up to the hype.
Socially, the week was great. I was able to spend some time with Demetreus Gregg, Stewardship Chair and Chapter Member, who also attended the conference. Dean Penny, Demetreus and I enjoyed a very tasty tapas style dinner. Penny and I were also able to spend some “quality time” together when she hurt her ankle and we went to the ER to have her examined and cared for. In addition, as I mentioned, I reconnected with “old” friends, and made some new ones. I was happy with all the various social opportunities and interactions.
I took advantage of the late hours at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, which stayed open until 9p on Friday night. I love to see museums in any city I travel to, and this one did not disappoint. Famous for the huge badminton “birdie” outside the museum by Claus Oldenberg, the collection was equally irreverent and interesting.
Overall, the conference was fruitful and has given me many leads to chase down and notes to write to keep the threads going.
Looking forward to future EPN events. Hopefully they’ll consider having San Diego be a host city in the future!
Blessings
Kathleen
