Convening Tables and Intergenerational Think Tank Orientation April – May 2014

Host: Keith Swartzendruber Senior Administrative Assistant to the Convening Tables Presenters: Rev. Ann Tiemeyer Interim Associate General Secretary Joint Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace Dr. Tony Kireopoulos Associate General Secretary Theological Dialogue and Matters of Faith and Order Interreligious Relations Rev. Dr. Joseph Crockett Associate General Secretary Christian Education, Ecumenical Faith Formation, and Leadership Development

The National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) is a community of communions called by Christ to visible unity and sent forth in the Spirit to promote God’s justice, peace and the fullness of human community

Governing Board  Members - Leaders of Communions (LoCs)  Executive Committee ◦ Chair, Rev. A Roy Medley – ABC-USA ◦ Vice Chair, Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, DoC ◦ Secretary, Rev. Geoffrey Black, UCC Governing Board Chair Rev. A. Roy Medley ◦ Treasurer, Bishop W. Darrin Moore, AMEZ ◦ Past GB Chair, Kathryn Lohre, ELCA ◦ Development Chair, Bishop Mary Ann Swenson, UMC ◦ At-Large Member, Rev. Grady Parsons, PC(USA) ◦ At-Large Member, Bishop Serapion of Los Angeles, COA ◦ At-Large-Member, Very Rev. Leonid Kishkovsky, OCA General Secretary/President Jim Winkler

  ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Governing Board Committees Nominating Committee Bylaws Committee Development Committee Finance Committee Audit Committee Executive Committee ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Committees of the Corporation Membership and Ecclesial Relations Committee Communications Committee World Council of Churches Relations Committee (WCCR) Local and Regional Ecumenism Committee (LRE) Committee on the Uniform Series (CUS) Bible Translation and Utilization Advisory Committee (BTU)

Four (4) Convening Tables

 Theological Dialogue and Matters of Faith and Order  Interreligious Relations and Collaboration on Topics of Mutual Concern  Christian Education, Ecumenical Faith Formation and Leadership Development  Joint Action and Advocacy on Issues of Justice and Peace

Intergenerational Think Tank

 New to NCC Structure ∘ Advisory to Governing Board and General Secretary/President  Purpose ∘ ∘ monitor developments in the ecumenical movement and in the changing ecclesial and inter-religious landscape to recommend adaptive and transformative changes, new strategic partnerships, and priority areas for the Council’s work  Members ∘ leaders of local and regional ecumenical initiatives and bodies, emerging ecumenical church leaders, and leaders who are bearers of NCC institutional memory.

∘ Member Communions, LRE, WSCF and New Fire – all invited to name one younger and one older member to the ITT  Meeting ∘ In-person at CUG and quarterly virtual

Two (2) Priorities of NCC

 Mass Incarceration  Interreligious Relations with a Focus on Peace  a lso . . .

Urgent and Emergent Issues

Commitment to Five (5) Justice Lenses

All of the work of the Governing Board, Convening Tables, Committees, and staff of the NCC must take into consideration the particular concerns related to: ◦ Race ◦ Gender ◦ ◦ ◦ Class Abilities Age

Purpose

◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ From the Bylaws: There shall be four (4) Convening Tables, the purpose of which shall be to facilitate collaboration among member communions and partners (including non-member communions) in four core areas of work Build and nurture relationships Frame ideas and articulate issues (theological, biblical, and ecumenical grounding) pertinent to area of each table Enhance and build denominational and partner capacity Witness for racial, gender, class, economic and disability justice in church and society Mobilize resources (spiritual, human, financial, etc.) and create outputs to achieve CT objectives and move toward fulfillment of the NCC mission and priorities

Members

◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ No limit to the number of people at a CT Participants are appointed by and are accountable to a Member Communion or sending body Each CT will have members with competency in racial, economic, and gender justice, as well as in disability and generational concerns Topic experts invited to participate as deemed necessary

Benefits of Membership

 Networking with ecumenical colleagues  Influence direction of NCC  Carrying out joint work with colleagues  Leadership Training  Ability to do more together than can be achieved separately

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Expectations of Membership

Attend two meetings per year – one in person at CUG and one virtual Engage in email exchange and conference calls as needed Participate actively in planning and implementation of joint work ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Mobilize respective organizations’ assets (Human and financial) to resource the joint work of the CTs Outreach Group facilitation Media engagement Writing, editing, etc… Research, curriculum development Fundraising, meeting and event planning

Meeting Frequency and Style

 CT’s will meet once a year face-to-face at the Christian Unity Gathering (CUG) – May 18 to 20, 2014  Electronic – webinar, teleconference, etc… between CUG meetings  Meetings are not “governance” in nature but are as stated in purpose to “convene”, thus will not use “Roberts Rules” but rather a consensus and collaborative style of decision making  Consensus will be considered reached when no one opposes a proposed action on principle and is willing to stand aside, even if the decision may not be the preferred option

Leadership of CTs

◦ ◦ ◦ Pro Tem co-conveners are being selected by the Executive Committee of Governing Board, serving through 2015 CUG At 2015 CUG, CTs will nominate co-conveners (from NCC Member Communions) for approval by Governing Board Co-Conveners role is to work with senior NCC staff to help move the work of CTs forward both in their particular area as well as across all of the CTs

CT CT CT CT Convening Table Model

   Shared online database of resources from Member Communions, NCC, partners, etc. relating to the two priorities – http://bit.ly/nccctresources Send resources to Keith at [email protected]

There will also be a resource table at the CUG where you are invited to bring information

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May 18 to 20, 2014

Hilton Washington Dulles Herndon, VA 

Schedule

◦ 2 public plenary sessions focusing on our priority of Mass Incarceration. (The 2015 CUG will focus on our second priority, Interreligious Relations with a Focus on Peace) ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ 3 CT sessions (2 with individual CTs, one combined) Committee meetings Celebration Service and Morning Prayers Bible study 2 films related to mass incarceration Other opportunities to network

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Integrating the Justice Lenses at CUG

◦ ◦ Affinity Group Receptions Sunday – May 18 th Tuesday – May 20 th from 7 to 8 pm from 4 to 5 pm ◦ ◦ ◦ ◦ Observers Goal is to create inclusive and safe environment for full participation 2 observers for every plenary, CT, and GB session Observers fill out forms to report whether the content of our work and decisions as well a processes reflect our commitments to the five (5) justice lenses. Results will be reported back to group and CT co-conveners and GB Chair If you want to volunteer to serve as an observer, email Ann Tiemeyer at [email protected]

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Additional Logistical Information

Register for CUG through May 14 at to $350 http://bit.ly/cug2014 After May 14, registration is in person only and fee goes up Thank you to American Baptist Churches-USA for providing registration service Deadline for booking a hotel room at the NCC discount rate has past. Rooms may be booked based on availability, and at prevailing rates by calling 703-478-2900. Make sure you mention you are part of the NCC group

    We are a community mutually enriched in Christ, on a collective journey towards a vision of the full realization of God’s reign We are a transformed community because of our encounter with the triune God We are a welcoming table for communities of faith to gather in the spirit of unity and engage in public witness for justice and peace We are a visible fellowship of unity, creating space for belonging, listening, learning, and multi-dimensional conversation

 We are a network of networks, facilitating the sharing of gifts and resources for mission engagements  We are an enabler of access points for mutuality in mission, fostering connectivity and linkage in a fast-changing culture, creating collaboration, cooperation, and partnership  We are an organization for collective witness, called to repent and to work for accountability in power structures

 We are a community of communions, one Body in Christ, committed to live the way that God has intended for people and all of creation to live and striving to be in visible unity with one another as churches on the local, regional, and national levels

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Additional CT Orientation at CUG Sunday Evening – May 18

th

from 6 to 7 pm Session will cover same material If you have additional questions come to Orientation or contact one of the staff

 [email protected]

telephone – 917-287-1144  [email protected]

telephone – 212-870-1203  [email protected]

telephone – 917-923-9520  [email protected]

telephone – 202-481-6689