Equipping Congregations Project
Stories for the Nones, Dones, and Disconnected
Through its Office of Communications—Caffeinated Church—the Episcopal Church in Colorado has built an ecumenical hub where churches learn to tell their stories with clarity, creativity, and confidence. Equipping Congregations is a core part of Show & Tell: Stories for the Nones, Dones, and Disconnected, a locally rooted and nationally amplified initiative designed to reconnect spiritually curious but institutionally disconnected people—especially Gen Z, Millennials, and Latino communities—with the Christian story.
What the Project Will Do
Over the next two years, we will support 90 mainline congregations across the mountain states in identifying, shaping, and sharing their own compelling stories of hope, faith, belonging, and spiritual vibrancy. Participating congregations will receive hands-on training, personalized coaching, and production support to create at least five high-quality short-form videos, along with a sustainable communications and content strategy tailored to their local context.
Together, these 90 churches will generate more than 500 new digital stories, each created to meet younger generations where they already are—on TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and other channels where authentic, conversational storytelling thrives.
How It Works
Each participating congregation will commit 4–5 hours every other week from a staff member or volunteer who will serve as the project’s point person. Through a structured yearlong process, congregations will learn to:
Identify resonant stories from their community
Use iPhone-based filming and simple editing workflows
Share faith conversations, testimonies, spiritual practices, and community life
Engage younger audiences with humor, honesty, vulnerability, and real-life relevance
Build confidence and long-term capacity for ongoing content creation
The style of the stories will be intentionally unpolished, real, and visually engaging—mirroring the platforms where Gen Z and Millennials form digital connections and meaning.
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Big Support for Your Church Communications (Valued at $8,000+)
Churches across the Mountain West region are invited to apply for the Equipping Congregations Project, a unique opportunity to strengthen your church’s communications and storytelling in ways that truly connect with today’s world. Through hands-on training, one-on-one coaching with a professional communications consultant, and the creation of high-quality digital media, participating congregations will gain practical tools to share their story with clarity, confidence, and creativity—especially with younger generations and new audiences. The total value of this experience is over $8,000 per church, made possible through grant funding, allowing churches to receive expert support that would otherwise be out of reach. If your church is curious, courageous, and ready to grow its communications capacity, this project offers a meaningful and accessible next step.
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Our consultants bring a broad range of communications expertise and will help your church take an honest look at how you’re communicating—both internally and externally. Together, you’ll assess what’s working, what needs strengthening, and where new opportunities exist.
They can support you in areas such as website editing, newsletter layout and strategy, graphic design, and creating effective posts, reels, and ads for social media. More than simply producing content, our consultants focus on equipping your staff and volunteers. Through hands-on training and coaching, they’ll work alongside your team on real projects—building skills, expanding capacity, and strengthening your church’s ability to communicate clearly and authentically with your wider community.
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This initiative is not a source of operational funding — it does not provide money to cover salaries, honoraria, stipends, or compensation for your church’s staff or volunteers.
It also is not an open marketplace for choosing any outside coach or vendor. Participating congregations are paired with approved Equipping Congregations consultants who have been specifically trained for this project and this scope of work. Churches may not bring in their own selected consultants or substitute external contractors.
Finally, this project is not a quick fix or a “done for you” service — the emphasis is on capacity-building through coaching, training, and collaboration, not on delivering finished media products without your team’s active involvement.
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When?
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through Fall 2029. Once accepted, each congregation enters a 12-month partnership with a communications consultant tailored to its context and capacity.How?
Please fill out the Congregational Interest & Discernment Application
Meet the Consulting Team
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Bethany Peerbolte
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Cynthia Dvorak
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Patrick McConnell
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Mary Stoneback
Congregational Interest & Discernment
We are seeking congregations that are ready to explore new ways of welcoming and connecting with Gen Z and Millennials. If your church is curious, open to experimentation, and interested in joining a cohort committed to vibrant digital storytelling, we invite you to learn more and discern your participation.
Churches will be asked a series of questions about readiness, capacity, motivation, and digital presence to ensure the project is a strong match for their goals and context.
The Equipping Congregations Project is a five-year initiative supporting 90 congregations. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis through Fall 2029. Once accepted, each congregation enters a 12-month partnership with a communications consultant tailored to their context and capacity.