How can we help you?

"All our financial, spiritual, and physical resources will be used for growing our churches, empowering your ministries, connecting churches, and building up the resources you need to meet the challenges ahead. I believe our parishes and their ministries are the direct connection between the world and the Gospel." - Bishop Gutiérrez

Below is a curated list of resources, tools and partnerships the diocese has to help our churches stay vital and spread the Gospel. Contact us if we are missing something you need, for more information on any of these offerings or to request someone from our office to come out and assist.

Church Health and Vitality

• The Transformation Committee (video), composed of experts in business, real estate and community organizing, works with churches to identify revenue streams. Contact Canon Horner to get started.

• Casting Nets: the definitive guide to restarting your church.

• Datastory: Provides demographic and parochial report information to chart vitalty, sustainability and potential for growth. 

• Evaluating Church Vitality (form)

Clergy Specific

(See Canon Doug Horner for information on benefits.)

• Guidelines for Sabbaticals
• Bishop's Customary Visitation Guidelines

Communications/Technology

• Digital Disciples: A free program for churches which provides talent to assist with livestreaming, web site design and other communication needs. 

• Media Center: Committed to spreading the Gospel via technology, laity and clergy can receive training, tape, broadcast and troubleshoot issues.

• Contact Jen Tucker or Liam Reid for help on any of these. 

Education

• Serviam: An online platform that provides learning resources to equip and empower both our laity and clergy. (Contact Liam Reid for assistance.)

• Members of the diocese receive discounted tuition for Villanova University's Master of Science in Church Management and Certificate in Church Management. 

Finance and Administration

• Budget Basics

• Parochial Reports

• Process audits

• Contact Canon Doug Horner for more information on this as well as CFO Workshops, financial and administrative guidance, parish Accounting systems and identifying personnel to assist. 

Financial Aid

• Christmas Fund (retired clergy & lay): The Christmas Fund provides grants to clergy canonically resident in the Diocese of PA who are disabled; the surviving spouses and orphans or other dependents of clergy; seminarians and self-supporting clergy and their dependents; and/or retired lay employees of the Diocese or its churches with five years full-time service.

• Church Training and Deaconess House Scholarship: The Church Training and Deaconess House (CTDH) Scholarship exists to support women seeking to be ordained to the ministry or for a post-baccalaureate degree program which would further their lay ministry.

• Clergy Daughter’s Fund: This assists canonically resident clergy in meeting the educational costs of their daughters in private school or college. At present, the fund yields $5,000 to about $10,000 per year.

• Clergy Financial Aid (active clergy)

• Continuing Education Grant: To encourage clergy, people employed by a parish or an agency of the diocese, and volunteer leaders in the Diocese of Pennsylvania to sharpen their skills and abilities for ministry.

• Diocesan Council Program Grant: As part of the annual DIOPA Mission budget, funds are allocated for programs and ministries at the congregational level. This grant process is open to all churches. 

• Diocesan Revolving Loan Fund (urgent capital repairs). Contact Person: Canon Doug Horner at dhorner@diopa.org

• Education for Ministry Grant

• Episcopal Church Women Domestic Mission Grants: Each year the Steering committee of the Episcopal Church Women of the Diocese of Pennsylvania distributes legacy gifts of our foremothers.  One of the designated categories is Domestic Mission, used entirely in the Diocese of Pennsylvania. Each deanery is intentionally included in these grants. The grant is open to all women in the diocese. $1200 max grant amount.

• Growth Development Fund (capital improvement to further ministry): A 5-year, $1.5M grant program. 

• Technology Grant (equipment): Designed to provide our churches with the tools needed to pre-record and/or stream their services and ministries. These grants of up to $2,500 can be used to bring Internet into a space; or acquire/upgrade equipment used for virtual worship (cameras, lighting, microphones, software, etc.).

• United Thank Offering Grants. Contact: Shirley Smith, granny7sm@gmail.com  
• United Thanks Offering Young  Adult Grant. For young adults and  Seminarians. Contact Person: Rev. Canon Heather Melton, UTO Staff Officer  at hmelton@episcopalchurch.org
• Clergy Assurance Fund. For clergy.  Open Application or No Restrictions. Contact Person: Canon Shawn Wamsley at swamsley@diopa.org
• Grants from TEC

Fundraising and Stewardship

• Online Fundraising

• TENS:  The Diocesan membership in The Episcopal Network for Stewardship (TENS) serves many of our churches as a major resource for their annual pledge campaigns. 

• To allow churches to collect funds easily at events, the diocese has created this tool for all churches to easily receive donations.  No login needed. Funds and contact information are provided to the recipient church.  (The diocese does not store or use information.)  Click Here   Questions?  Contact us.

• In 2025, the diocese will hold a series of workshops with experts to assist churches with fundraising and stewardship.

Healthcare and Benefits

from Church Pension Group (CPG)

• Contact Canon Doug Horner for more information on the following: pension (clergy & lay); healthcare (clergy & lay); dental (clergy & lay); life (clergy & lay); short & long-term disability (lay); health advocate (clergy & lay); Employee Assistance Program(EAP) (clergy & lay)

Human Resources

• Contact Canon Doug Horner for more information on clergy and lay compensation guidelines, payroll setup and processing, pension processing and HR policy and procedures. 

• Title IV Clergy Discipline. An overview of the Title IV process can be found here. 

Ordination/Clergy Transitions

• Contact Canon Jane Gober for information on the process to be ordained as a deacon or priest as well as identifying priests for your parish. 

Policies and Procedures

• Title IV Clergy Discipline. An overview of the Title IV process can be found here. 
• Safe Church Training. Contact us for more information.  
• Policy on Serving Alcohol at Church Functions
• Policy for the Sale or Easement of Property
• Policy for the Mortgaging of Property by Congregations 

Property Management

• Growth Development Fund (capital improvement to further ministry): A 5-year, $1.5M grant program. 

• The Transformation Committee (video) composed of experts in business, real estate and community organizing, works with churches to identify revenue streams. Contact Canon Horner to get started.

• Policy for the Sale or Easement of Property

• Policy for the Mortgaging of Property by Congregations 

• Sustainability Checklist

• Contact Sean McCauley for more information on building and property support, propery evaluation and property leases and sales. 

Worship & Christian Formation 

See Serviam. 

Diocesan Ministries

Animals

• Through several partners, we support efforts at our churches to find forever homes for companion animals and create inclusive worship for people and animals in new ways. For resources, contact Canon Jen Tucker.

Addiction and Recovery

• The Addiction Recovery Advocates Networks (ARAN) acts as a conduit to recovery resources for clergy and laity.  We align with diocesan ministries serving vulnerable communities and confronting social injustices that are inflamed by addictions and their consequences. 

Global

• Diocesan Global Mission Commission: The Global Mission Commission (GMC) was formed by act of the 2015 Diocesan Convention to inspire, educate, and support congregations and individuals within the Diocese to engage in the reconciling work of God in the world. 

• Princess Basma Center (partnership):  The Bishop is the vice chair of a steering committee organized to raise much-needed funds for the Jerusalem Princess Basma Center, which is the church's ministry in Jerusalem for children with disabilities. 

• Compass Rose Society (program): The Compass Rose Society is an international charitable organization supporting the Archbishop of Canterbury’s ministry in the global Anglican Communion. Bishop Gutiérrez serves as its president. 

Gun Violence

• Anti-Gun Violence (AGV) Commission leads many programs including A Year of Faithful Witness, a year-long program to raise awareness about gun violence.  To get involved contact Canon Toneh Smyth, tsmyth@diopa.org

House Church 

• Bishop's introduction on this
• Guide to Start a House Church (video)
• Guide to Start a House Church (PDF)
• Process for Planting a House Church (more detail, Word doc.)

Housing/Homelessness

• The Clare Project (video overview here.)

• Depaul House Ministry: Working with Depaul USA, a national homeless services nonprofit organization, the diocese provides housing for homeless college students at two of our churches. Contact Canon Smyth for more information.

• Thistle Hills: Initially funded by the diocese, this sister organization to Thistle Farms, this organization provides women support, love, and resources to transform their lives and become part of the fabric of our community.

• City of Philadelphia: In 2021, the diocese began a relationship with Philadelphia to create tiny homes for those that are unsheltered. 

Job Training for people who have been incarcerated

• Bishop's introduction on this
• Canon Toneh Smyth is spearheading this effort with many in the diocese. 

Legal Aid

• Episcopal Legal Aid: Initial funding from the diocese, this organization promotes access to justice by bringing pro bono civil legal services to low-income residents of Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

LGBTQIA+

• Diocesan LGBTQIA+ Committee

Mental Health

• The Clare Project

• Female Veterans Moral Injury Group: The diocese, in coordination with the Veterans Administration in Pennsylvania, created the nation's only group for female veterans living with moral injury. Contact Canon Smyth. 

• Differently Abled: A diocesan commission devoted to lifting up resources for those that are differently abled. Contact Canon Smyth.

Racial Justice and Repair

• Diocesan Anti-Racism Commission

• Loving Presence Initiative

• Union of Black Episcopalians 

• Contact Canon Toneh Smyth for more information)

Refugees

• Bishop's introduction on this
• Refugee Ministry at St. Jude, Lafayette Hill (video)

Women 

• Thistle Hills: Initially funded by the diocese, this sister organization to Thistle Farms, this organization provides support, love, and resources to women to transform their lives and become part of the fabric of our community.

Youth

• Diocesan Youth Committee
• Diocesan Youth Leaders Facebook Group
• Diocesan Preschools Group Facebook Page
• City Camp
• Safe Church Training. Contact us for more information.