It started with one parish inviting its neighbors. When St. James Episcopal Church in Taylor asked a few community partners to join the Neighborhood Economics conference in Galveston, fifteen said yes.
It started with an invitation
For the last few years, St. James has worked with community partners to support spaces of bridging and belonging where they already exist, and to create them where they don’t. Through that work, the parish has become a support network for local artists and activists, and for the independent businesses where they gather.
Building on those relationships, St. James reached out to a few partners about the conference, assuming one or two might be able to attend. Fifteen people said yes.
“St. James’ connection to the conference was our interest in how faith communities can play an important role in pressing local economic justice issues.”— St. James Episcopal Church, Taylor
Bringing the church to the table
Neighborhood Economics gathers community leaders, investors, foundations and faith leaders around a shared question: how can capital and relationships strengthen neighborhoods? In preparing for its September gathering at the Grand Galvez, Neighborhood Economics partnered with the Episcopal Diocese of Texas and the Episcopal Health Foundation to bring the church into conversations on community investment.
Along the way, the organizers say they “came to appreciate the richness of faith-based leaders’ involvement in community efforts already underway in the Lone Star State.”
After the conference, Kevin Jones, co-founder of Neighborhood Economics, wrote an essay about what he saw in the Taylor group and about the role churches can play in this cultural moment.
One invitation from St. James brought fifteen neighbors to the table. Across the Diocese, congregations are showing up for their neighbors in the same way. We want to learn from you, connect you with one another, and bring more of you into the conversation.
