News Detail

July 7, 2010, New York, NY -- The Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) is announcing that the Rev. Lindsay Hardin Freeman is stepping down as Editor of Vestry Papers. Since 2001, Lindsay has produced 50 issues of Vestry Papers and helped the newsletter to win 33 Polly Bond awards for excellence in church communications. 

Lindsay has worked with ECF for 22 years in total.  Some of her other achievements include:  The First Fifty Years, ECF 1949-1999; Editor of Volume III of the previous series of The Vestry Resource Guide; Editor of Doing Holy Business: The Best of Vestry Papers; and  Editor of the revised Funding Future Ministry: A Guide to Planned Giving.

“Lindsay’s dedicated service to ECF has been a great gift,” said Donald V. Romanik, ECF President.  “Under her editorial leadership, Vestry Papers has been a publication of the highest quality and a critically important program for ECF.  We appreciate her dedication and loyalty, and wish her the very best as she continues to use her skills to serve the Church in new ways.”

Vestry Papers is a newsletter that strives to inspire, affirm, and inform Episcopal leaders in their work.  Vestry Papers offers the experience of peers and church experts on important topics regarding congregational life and leadership. 

As Editor, Lindsay sought  out not only the “experts” on a particular subject, but lay people and clergy in every corner of our Church who had best practices and examples to share.  Lindsay let every author have his or her distinct voice, yet edited each issue with clarity and purpose to deliver practical and spiritually grounded advice to readers.

“I am honored to have worked with ECF for 22 years and to help work toward its goal of strengthening the ministry and mission of Episcopalians across the Church,” noted Freeman.  “I have especially enjoyed working with vestries, and have come to deeply appreciate both the challenges they face and the great contributions they make.”

Lindsay’s decision to leave Vestry Papers comes with excitement to be moving into other areas of ministry and writing.  She and her husband, the Rev. Leonard Freeman, became interim rectors at Trinity Church, Excelsior, Minnesota in May 2010.  Her new book, The Scarlet Cord: Conversations with God’s Chosen Women (O Books, London) comes out in October.  Two more publications will follow in 2011 with Forward Movement: the Lenten book and a book on women’s meditations.