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Invite Welcome Connect: A Ministry Born of Invitation, Sustained by Hope—Recorded Webinar

What happens when a simple invitation changes a life? And what happens when that invitation becomes a ministry that reshapes congregations across the Episcopal Church and beyond?

In this recorded webinar, Mary Foster Parmer, founder of Invite Welcome Connect, shares the story of how a single “yes” to church led to a vocation, a book, and a movement centered on evangelism, hospitality, and belonging. Facilitated by Steve Welch, Executive Director of Invite Welcome Connect, the conversation weaves together personal story, ecclesial history, theology, and practical tools for congregations of every size.



Mary Foster Parmer presents the history and theology of Invite Welcome Connect

From Invitation to Vocation

Mary begins where the ministry itself begins: with story.


Raised in a Southern Baptist home marked by deep hospitality, Mary’s path to the Episcopal Church was anything but direct. After divorce, career change, and a season of healing through Al-Anon, she found herself quietly entering an Episcopal church through a side door. What she encountered there, long before she ever attended worship, was sacred space, listening, and the slow work of transformation.


That journey came into focus when a friend, Sally Dooley, did what her bishop asked Episcopalians to do: she invited someone to church. That invitation became a turning point, leading Mary to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Beaumont, Texas, where she discovered not only liturgical worship but a church deeply committed to equipping the laity for ministry.

That commitment would become the theological backbone of Invite Welcome Connect.


The Birth of Invite Welcome Connect

As St. Stephen’s grew under intentional leadership, Mary began to notice patterns. Growth was not accidental. It came from:


  • Clear invitation

  • Thoughtful hospitality

  • Intentional pathways into belonging


What started as local practice evolved into the Newcomer Ministry Project in the Diocese of Texas and, eventually, into Invite Welcome Connect. By 2013, the ministry was being tested beyond Texas, supported by bishops, clergy, and lay leaders who recognized both its theological depth and practical clarity.


Invite Welcome Connect would go on to be shared across dioceses, seminaries, and even internationally, including the Episcopal Convocation in Europe.


“More Than a Program”

A recurring theme throughout the presentation is that Invite Welcome Connect is not simply a program.


As Bishop Michael Curry famously affirms, it is a way of life that reflects the welcome of Jesus himself. Mary echoes this throughout the webinar, grounding the ministry in three essentials:


  • Invite: Evangelism rooted in courage rather than fear

  • Welcome: Hospitality as worship and holy encounter

  • Connect: Belonging made real through listening and relationship


Each essential is supported by a detailed checklist, congregational assessments, and practices that move churches from a maintenance mindset toward mission.


Obstacles, Sacred Cows, and Holy Curiosity

Mary speaks candidly about the challenges churches face: complacency, fear of change, unexamined assumptions, and what she affectionately calls “sacred cows.” Through humor and real-world examples, she reminds leaders that transformation requires gentleness, persistence, and creativity.


Creativity, she insists, is not optional. It is essential to evangelism in a world marked by loneliness, disconnection, and spiritual hunger. Citing research on the epidemic of loneliness, Mary underscores the church’s unique calling to offer community, meaning, and hope.


A Ministry Maturing Into Its Next Chapter

The webinar also marks a significant transition. In 2024, Invite Welcome Connect became an independent 501(c)(3) organization, with a governing board and a growing suite of resources. With the hiring of Steve Welch as Executive Director and the launch of Connect on Demand, the ministry is expanding its reach while remaining grounded in its original vision.


Mary names this moment honestly as an act of faithful handing-off, resisting founder syndrome and trusting the ministry’s future to shared leadership.


An Invitation Still Being Extended

The heart of Invite Welcome Connect remains unchanged: God invites, the church welcomes, and together we help people belong.


This recorded webinar is both a testimony and a tool, offering encouragement for leaders who are weary, guidance for congregations ready to grow, and hope for a church called once again into mission.


Resources Mentioned in the Webinar

The following resources, books, tools, and programs were referenced during the presentation or shared in the webinar chat. They offer practical next steps for congregations exploring Invite Welcome Connect.


Invite Welcome Connect Resources


Book and Study Resources

Authors and Works Referenced by Mary Foster Parmer

These formative texts were named as influential in Mary’s spiritual and theological journey:


Episcopal Church & Formation References

  • Gathering of Leaders Episcopal leadership initiative referenced in the ministry’s development(Historical program, often referenced in Episcopal leadership contexts)

  • The Way of Love Episcopal framework for discipleship

  • Becoming Beloved Community Episcopal Church initiative on reconciliation, justice, and evangelism


Contact Information (as Shared During the Webinar)


Our Next Webinar:

Small Congregations Series:Steps for the Future
January 21, 2026, 2:00 – 3:00 PM ESTWebinar
Register Now

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