2007
Kathleen Lucille White
“Could Be the End of the World as We Know It, or the Beginning”
Merger: The End of the Way We’ve Always Done It, and the Beginning of a Faithful Response to the Great Commission
This thesis explores the practical matters encountered in the process of merging two Episcopal congregations located in the Diocese of Chicago, including initial conversations between vestries and congregations, liturgical responses, canonical requirements, legal considerations and property concerns. It is offered as a guide for other congregations as they navigate the personal, spiritual, canonical and legal requirements of the corporate merger of congregations, or an adaptation of a traditional merger.