What Kinds of Assets and Stories Are Featured on the Episcopal Asset Map?

The Episcopal Asset Map features three main categories of assets — worshipping communities, schools, and ministries of The Episcopal Church — and pairs them with featured stories that show those places in action. The map is described as "a window into our denomination," designed to highlight the resources and gifts (the "assets") that churches, schools, and other places offer their congregations and communities. If you want to see what a particular Episcopal community is doing, or find one near you, the map is the entry point.

The three asset types you can search

The site's search tool is built around three categories, and you can filter the map by them:

The map also links out to related views: Dioceses and Networks are listed as "other maps," so the same underlying data can be browsed by geographic diocese or by network affiliation rather than by individual place.

What the featured stories actually look like

The homepage rotates through featured stories drawn from real Episcopal places. The examples shown give a clear sense of the range:

• St. Matthew's and St. Joseph's Episcopal Church, Detroit, MI — a story marking 180 years of service
• St. James Episcopal Church, Vincennes, IN — a community gospel choir
• Grace Episcopal Church, Ellensburg, WA — a cold weather shelter
• St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Wyandotte, MI — a Fourth Saturday meal program, noted as being "in the news"
• Creation Care and Environmental Racism, New York, NY — described as the Asset Map being "a multi-layered tool for eco-justice"

Two patterns stand out. First, the stories skew toward outward-facing community service — meals, shelter, music, environmental justice — rather than internal parish news. Second, they cover both longstanding institutions and newer or issue-based work, so a 180-year-old congregation and an eco-justice initiative sit side by side.

The site frames the purpose of these stories explicitly: "We're able to learn from and celebrate the good works highlighted in our featured stories because someone like you gave the gift of their time and shared with us how God is at work in their Episcopal place." In other words, the stories exist because community members submit them.

How to browse the assets and stories yourself

1. Go to the map and use Search the map to find worshipping communities, schools, and ministries.
2. Use the quick links Find a Church Near Me or Find a Ministry if you already know what you're looking for.
3. Switch to the Dioceses or Networks maps if you'd rather browse by region or affiliation.
4. Scroll the Featured Stories section on the homepage to see current examples of ministries, worship experiences, and community service.

Expected result: you land on a specific place or story rather than a general directory, since each entry is tied to a named church, school, or ministry.

Where the stories come from — and how to add one

The map is not maintained solely by a central office. Two contribution paths are offered:

• Suggest an Update — "Your information empowers us to tell a more complete story of the Church." Use this if an existing entry is incomplete or out of date.
• Share a Story — "Take a moment to reflect and share with us the ways God is at work in your Episcopal place."

A practical note: if you're looking for a ministry that isn't listed, the absence may simply mean no one has submitted it yet, not that it doesn't exist. The site's own framing — "We need your help!" — suggests coverage depends on local contributions.

What this means if you're deciding whether to use it

• Use the map if you want to find an Episcopal church, school, or ministry by location, or if you want examples of what Episcopal communities are doing in areas like food programs, shelter, music, and environmental work.
• Use the featured stories if you're looking for inspiration or a model for a ministry rather than a specific address.
• Contribute if you belong to an Episcopal place whose work isn't reflected — either by updating an entry or sharing a story.

The underlying idea is stated on the site through I Corinthians 12:4-7: "there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit... To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good." The map treats each church, school, and ministry as one of those gifts, and the stories as evidence of them in use.