Comments such as, "I have never been to such an exciting conference," and "This conference had exceeded my wildest expectations," were heard after the Plant My Church! gathering at Camp Allen, Navasota, Texas, March 20-23.

Designed for church planters, diocesan leaders, and would-be church planters, about 100 representatives from more than two dozen dioceses, Canada, Honduras, and New Zealand, participated in the conference sponsored by a consortium of groups, including the Diocese of Texas.

The purpose of the conference was to raise the profile of church planting within the Episcopal Church.

In plenaries, panels and workshops, the focus of the conference was on the need to plant churches, how to plant churches and the vocation of church planters. Interspersed throughout the conference were testimonies by leaders of recent church plants, anchoring theory in practice.

Among the workshop topics were an overview of a recent church plant; planting a church for the homeless and street people in the inner city; Hispanic church plants; planting a new church for those under age 30 within a resource- size congregation; and a session on preaching to the unchurched.

The agenda allowed those who are planting churches to network with one another. It also allowed others to seek advice and counsel from those who are already in the business of church planting.

During the last 20 years, church planters were told, the Episcopal Church has planted between 325 and 350 congregations. Given the radical changes taking place in North America, including demographic challenges, it is clear, they were told, that church planting needs a much higher priority.