Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2012 Issue | Page 16

GROWTH, VITALITY & THE HOLY SPIRIT AT
EMMANUEL, GREENWOOD
EMILY CHERRY
For a church that has, according to the Rev. Chuck Mullaly, rector, “more saints
per capita than any of the wonderful churches I’ve known,” it should come as no
surprise that the Episcopal Church Office of Vitality should choose them for one of
10 site visits to explore congregational growth and vitality. But the news came as
a surprise and an honor, nonetheless.

The Rev. Bob Honeychurch of the
Office of Congregational Vitality and Dr.
Kirk Hadaway of the Office of Research
paid a visit to Emmanuel November
4-6, 2011. The Episcopal Church selected
Emmanuel to take part in this Churchwide study based on a number of
figures, including a combination of
growth and average Sunday attendance,
in addition to other characteristics of
congregational vitality. Emmanuel “is
unique in the sense that it had growth
for 13 years in a row, which is extremely
unusual,” explained Hadaway.

A large portion of the day they
devoted to a series of interviews: with
the rector, with the vestry, with longtime members, with new members and
also what Mullaly refers to as “tipping
point” members: “the ones who were
key evangelists in adding members and
families” to the congregation, explained
the rector.

“If you were to ask me what the
focus was,” said Mullaly, “I would say it
was people, not programs. They wanted
to know who we we