The purpose of the Albany Blooms Thriving Parish Initiativeis to support, equip, and strengthen the work and ministry of the 100+ congregations of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany. We will do this work by nurturing the spiritual health of our congregations and encouraging them to abide in the Lord via Benedictine practices, practices that create hearts ready to learn, prepare, and share the gospel with their local community. This work will be accomplished through retreats, workshops, and web based resources, which have several aims: 1) Nurture: Teach parish leaders how Benedictine Spirituality practices can be used to grow disciples and lead people towards a deeper walk with God 2) Produce: Guide leaders in clearly defining the challenges of modernity and develop strategies for the mission of the parish in relation to the broader diocesan mission to be “Disciples Making Disciples” 3) Sustain: Nurture and support parishes in their work to grow and thrive as congregations working to both abide in Christ and reach outward in their communities.