The Undercroft
Welcome
Welcome to The Episcopal Church (virtual) Undercroft! We know that much of the real work of parish life gets done in basements, coffee hours, and other unofficial settings, and we have gathered and named this content in honor of those spaces.
These resources are primarily intended for those active in church work—governance, leadership formation, communications, stewardship, and much more—to assist you with your ministry. Not finding what you are looking for? Please be in touch, and we will do all we can to assist.
Bishop searches and transitions
For dioceses in leadership transition, we offer timeline and transition planning, standing committee coaching, matching bishop search consultants with dioceses, election day preparation, assisting in finding interim episcopal services, and supporting diocesan leaders through the entire lifecycle of the transition. Additionally, we provide coaching, best practices, and resources to guide leaders and dioceses in discerning local cultures and needs.
Communications and branding resources
Access all the tools and templates you need to express our full brand identity—visuals, voice, style, templates, and more—with professional-grade results.
Constitution and Canons
Our Constitution was established by the General Convention in October of 1789 and sets forth the basic articles for the government of the church. Our Canons are a code of laws detailing the operational and administrative procedures of the church.
Crisis and conflict
For dioceses and churches faced with natural disasters, human tragedies, and myriad other forms of crisis and conflict, the Church Center staff provides several kinds of support, including crisis communications and alternative dispute resolution mediation and training.
Diocesan leadership resources
Our leadership development team works with diocesan leaders, as well as those in churchwide governance roles (elected or appointed), to provide support and resources specific to their needs. Among other offerings, we facilitate networks to connect lay and ordained leaders in similar positions across the church, and we provide individual consultations with diocesan governance leaders. Networks, which meet regularly, are available to support presidents of standing committees and the diocesan canon to the ordinary in an effort to provide mutual support, resourcing, and collegiality in these particular positions.
Finance office and real estate support
Finance Office staff are available to help dioceses and parishes in the preparation of annual budgets and multiyear financial plans. We can also advise on investment strategies, including coinvesting with The Episcopal Church endowment.
Our staff are also available to assist dioceses and parishes in the evaluation and analysis of their real estate assets and the development of mission-aligned strategies for redevelopment or sale.
General Convention
The General Convention is the bicameral legislature and chief policy-making body of The Episcopal Church, consisting of the House of Bishops and House of Deputies. The General Convention typically meets every three years to consider legislation, make policy, hold elections, adopt the churchwide budget, and amend the church’s Constitution and Canons.
Check back here for updates on the 82nd General Convention, which is scheduled for July 3-8, 2027, in Phoenix, Arizona.
Grants and Scholarships
Creation Care Grants
As The Episcopal Church shifts its creation care resources to better support local, contextual efforts, applicants are invited to submit grant proposals for nature restoration, regenerative agriculture, climate advocacy, and environmental justice projects that will be evaluated and awarded by the church’s new eco-region networks. The deadline to apply online is Oct. 20, 2026.
Parochial Report data
The Parochial Report is the oldest, most continuous gathering of data by The Episcopal Church and provides a look into the life of congregations and churchwide programs, initiatives, and activities that happen each week.
Safe Church
Within The Episcopal Church, our mandate to safeguard children, youth, and vulnerable adults is inseparable from our obligation to seek and serve Christ in all people and to respect the dignity of every human. For more than two decades, we’ve formalized and emphasized Safe Church training, which is administered by our dioceses worldwide and our broader Anglican Communion.
Support for ministries in transition
For clergy and lay leaders seeking new ministries, and for churches and organizations with open positions, Church Center staff offer support through collaborative partnerships with diocesan transition ministers, who oversee ministry transitions, clergy placement, and related matters. Open positions for congregations and other ministries can be found in the Vocation Hub, a portal that incorporates Parochial Report data and includes options for multi-point calls and expanded searches. Email Craig Dressler with questions.
Theological resources
The Episcopal Church is committed to grounding its mission and work in the robust and lively Anglican–Episcopal tradition. We can assist with efforts at the parish and diocesan level to integrate the practice of theology into clergy and lay formation, communications, and other types of programs. Most often, this consists of providing consultative guidance, including strategy and connection to resources. In some instances, staff can lead virtual or in-person workshops, clergy days, or educational programs that emphasize the value and importance of theology in the life of the church.
Title IV and reporting misconduct
Our Title IV canons set out standards of conduct for all ordained people in the church and provide a process for addressing allegations of misconduct.
