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“Nones,” those who claim no religious affiliation, now represent the fastest growing religious category in the United States. Interestingly, this trend is matched by those who consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious.”

One of the most significant challenges facing the Church is how to reach new generations of people who are open to spiritual things, but are not inclined to affiliate with a local Christian church.

The answer, in the broadest sense, is missional innovation or “Fresh Expressions.”

Thankfully, Anglicanism is replete with historical precedent and theological imagination for just such a task!

C4SO’s pursuit of Fresh Expressions draws deeply from this tradition for the sake of equipping Christian leaders to cultivate forms of community, worship, and mission that are hospitable toward the spiritually curious and vital for engaging the brokenness of our world. This work is decidedly ecclesial in that it belongs to and exists as an expression of the Church; yet it is differentiated from the work of church planting in that it complements and extends the life of local parishes.

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The Rev. Dr. JR Rozko

Director of Fresh Expressions

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We have chosen two areas of focus, which will continue to develop over time.

A Contemporary Religious Order

In partnership with The Order of the Common Life, a contemporary religious order, we have convened a cohort of leaders from throughout C4SO, both lay and ordained, to go through a 6-month postulancy process. The purpose of this cohort is to help people explore the idea of a Rule of Life and, out of this, to discern the possibilities of C4SO hosting a permanent expression of this order in the life of the diocese. Learn more.

We are engaging in sustained conversations with a variety of other missional innovators, both within and beyond C4SO. We want to listen and learn from other leaders who are doing or dreaming about sodalic (non-parish) expressions of the Church that creatively embody and extend the mission of God in the world. Over time, we hope to be able to answer the twin questions, “What are the non-parish expressions of the church that the Holy Spirit is leading us to innovate toward?” and “What spaces, resources, tools, or training do we need to curate or create in order to do so?”

If this is the sort of work you are already doing or desire to explore, please get in touch!