Presiding Bishop
Gives Thumbs Up
to Faith Alive Video

by David Smart

A special guest sat with the members of the Faith Alive Board of Directors as they watched the premier of a new Faith Alive promotional video.

Photo by Faith Alive

Members of the Faith Alive Board of Directors pray with the Presiding Bishop.

“This is brilliantly done,” the Most Rev. Frank Griswold is quoted as saying in a Faith Alive news release. “The video provides an excellent overview while addressing anxieties that often accompany the introduction of a program encouraging us to examine our spiritual journeys.”

“I’m deeply grateful for your ministry and the incredible fruit it has borne,” the Presiding Bishop reportedly told the board members during a meeting at Kanuga Conference Center.

Since its beginning in 1970, over 2,000 Faith Alive Weekends have been held in Episcopal and Anglican churches in north and south America.

A Faith Alive Weekend is a faith building experience designed for parish families, with separate programs for children, teens and adults. A team of Episcopalians comes to a church to lead the weekend program under the leadership of the parish rector.

“There is a lot of fun blended with powerfully effective faith sharing,” said Neal Robinson, M.D., Faith Alive Board of Directors member and parishioner at St. Peter’s, Chattanooga. “The tremendous wealth and depth of the spirit within the host parish is recognized and energized.”

“Faith Alive introduced me to a deeper and personal relationship with God,” said Robinson. “Faith shared by other Episcopalians opened my eyes to God and Jesus in a new way.”

“As a result of my experience on a Faith Alive weekend my life was changed,” added his wife Beverly. “I discovered that God was as close to me as I would let Him be and that He really does answer prayers.” She served on the national board of directors of Faith Alive from 1991–1997.

“Faith Alive reaches far into the periphery to bring inactive and marginal members into the church family,” says Tom Riley, president of the organization. “It also helps parishioners to better understand lay ministry and has helped to launch many new parish ministries.”

A recently produced 19-minute video features affirming comments by bishops, rectors, and lay Episcopalians also provides a through over-view of the ministry offered to adults, teens, and children during a Faith Alive Weekend.

“Jim [Shearouse], Beverly and I are available to go to any interested parish or group and present the video, discuss Faith Alive, and answer questions about the organization,” Robinson said. Jim Shearouse, St. Alban’s, Hixson is Diocesan Representative for Faith Alive.

The Faith Alive Web site is at www.faithalive.org