Leadership and Development Opportunity for YOU!
The ICCC will be offering several high-quality leadership development opportunities for clergy and laity. Many of these programs will be facilitated by Pinnacle Leadership Associates, a coaching and church consulting group that seeks to partner with others to discover and pursue God’s mission in the world. Get to know some of the Pinnacle team through your participation in one or more of the following programs:
WEBINARS on Social & Theological Issues
Each month, a member of the Pinnacle Team will lead a one-hour webinar on a social or theological issue like: race, hunger, stewardship and fundraising, women in ministry, reaching millennials, church planting, managing a multi-staff church, attractional to missional church models, preaching in a politically diverse church, emotionally-intelligent pastoral leadership.
Second Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern beginning February 12, 2020.
Information for the webinar and a link will be sent via email the Monday before.
TRAINING in Congregational Development
Pinnacle Leadership Associates president, Mark Tidsworth, will lead monthly one-hour training sessions via webinar entitled, “Faith Change Agent: The New Paradigm For Transformational Pastoral Leadership.” Participation is open, though each session builds on the previous session; participants are encouraged to sign on for the year.
Third Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern beginning February 19, 2020.
A reminder for this training webinar and a link will be sent via email the Monday before.
DISCUSSION around the Lenten Lectionary Passages
Rhonda Blevins and colleague David Brown will lead a 7-week discussion group via video conference for preachers on the Lenten lectionary passages from the Gospels and Hebrew Scriptures. Each one-hour session will contain a sacred reading practice and a facilitated group discussion on the texts.
Limited to 8 participants. Please register with DeAnn at the Council Office icccdc@sbcglobal.net. First come, first serve.
Tuesdays at 1pm Eastern, February 25 – April 7, 2020.
COACHING for Small Groups of Clergy
Rev.Group 1: First Wednesdays at 1pm Eastern, beginning March 4, 2020.
RETREATS for Clergy in Each Region
Funding for five regional retreats, facilitated by the ICCC Leadership Development Team, for clergy has been granted—each region will be invited to determine their own date, location, and program.
Five Regional Retreats: TBA
CLICK BELOW TO WATCH!
ICCC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR 2020
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QZKNHZX
Instagram: @icccnow 
Snapchat: icccnow 
Twitter: @icccnowFAITH LEADER STATEMENT ON FAMILY SEPARATION
Recently, the Administration announced that it will begin separating families and criminally prosecuting all people who enter the U.S. without previous authorization. As religious leaders representing diverse faith perspectives, united in our concern for the well being of vulnerable migrants who cross our borders fleeing from danger and threats to their lives, we are deeply disappointed and pained to hear this news.
We affirm the family as a foundational societal structure to support human community and understand the household as an estate blessed by God. The security of the family provides critical mental, physical and emotional support to the development and well being of children. Our congregations and agencies serve many migrant families that have recently arrived in the United States. Leaving their communities is often the only option they have to provide safety for their children and protect them from harm. Tearing children away from parents who have made a dangerous journey to provide a safe and sufficient life for them is unnecessarily cruel and detrimental to the well-being of parents and children.
As we continue to serve and love our neighbor, we pray for the children and families that will suffer due to this policy and urge the Administration to stop their policy of separating families.
His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocesan Legate and Director of the Ecumenical Office, Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
Mr. Azhar Azeez, President, Islamic Society of North America
The Most Rev. Joseph C. Bambera, Bishop of Scranton, PA, Chair, Bishops’ Committee for Ecumenical and Inter-religious Affairs
Senior Bishop George E. Battle, Jr., Presiding Prelate, Piedmont Episcopal District, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Bishop H. Kenneth Carter, Jr., President, Council of Bishops, The United Methodist Church
The Most Rev. Michael B. Curry, Presiding Bishop, Episcopal Church (United States)
The Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer, General Minister & President, United Church of Christ
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton, Presiding Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Rev. David Guthrie, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Moravian Church Southern Province
Mr. Glen Guyton, Executive Director, Mennonite Church USA
The Rev. Teresa Hord Owens, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Rabbi Rick Jacobs, President, Union for Reform Judaism
Mr. Anwar Khan, President, Islamic Relief USA
The Rev. Dr. Betsy Miller, President, Provincial Elders’ Conference, Moravian Church Northern Province
The Rev. Dr. J. Herbert Nelson II, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church (USA)
Rabbi Jonah Pesner, Director, Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
The Rev. Don Poest, Interim General Secretary, The Rev. Eddy Alemán, Candidate for General Secretary, Reformed Church in America
Senior Bishop Lawrence Reddick III, Presiding Bishop, The Eighth Episcopal District, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
The Rev. Phil Tom, Executive Director, International Council of Community Churches
Churches Uniting in Christ, a gathering of 11 communions in a covenantal relationship, affirm and support the dignity of all people and to the care for the gift of the earth that God has entrusted to us. It is, for this reason, we join with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, and the dozens of tribes standing in support of their efforts to protect their sovereignty, water, culture, a way of life, and their sacred sites.To view the entire statement, recently signed by Abraham Wright, ICCC Secretary and other ICCC officers, click here.
Give By Text
Direct Thrivent Choice Dollars®.
During this special time of year, we pause to reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. Family, friends, faith …
We are pleased to announce that the ICCC has recently been accepted into the Thrivent Choice program.
One way eligible Thrivent Financial members can show their thanks is by directing Choice Dollars to the ICCC. If you’re a Thrivent member who has designated Choice Dollars
®, please take this opportunity to recommend where Thrivent distributes some of its charitable grant funds by directing them to the ICCC. Thrivent Choice grant funding will be used for Ecumenical & Interfaith Relations, and for our three missions: Agape, Creating Community, and Feeding the Hungry.
To learn more about Thrivent Choice, visit Thrivent.com/thriventchoice. Or call Thrivent at 800-847-4836 and say “Thrivent Choice” when prompted.
