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)
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Executive Committee
Governing Board Chair
Rev. A. Roy Medley
◦ Chair, Rev. A Roy Medley – ABC-USA
◦ Vice Chair, Rev. Dr. Sharon Watkins, DoC
◦ Secretary, Rev. Geoffrey Black, UCC
◦ 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
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Governing Board Committees
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Nominating Committee
Bylaws Committee
Development Committee
Finance Committee
Audit Committee
Executive Committee
Committees of the Corporation
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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
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Mass Incarceration
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Interreligious Relations with a Focus on Peace
also . . .
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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
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Build and nurture relationships
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Frame ideas and articulate issues (theological, biblical, and ecumenical
grounding) pertinent to area of each table
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Enhance and build denominational and partner capacity
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Witness for racial, gender, class, economic and disability justice in church
and society
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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
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Networking with ecumenical colleagues
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Influence direction of NCC
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Carrying out joint work with colleagues
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Leadership Training
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Ability to do more together than can be achieved separately
Expectations of Membership
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Attend two meetings per year – one in person at CUG and one
virtual
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Engage in email exchange and conference calls as needed
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Participate actively in planning and implementation of joint
work
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Mobilize respective organizations’ assets (Human and
financial) to resource the joint work of the CTs
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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
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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
keith.swartzendruber@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
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
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Schedule
Hilton Washington Dulles
Herndon, VA
◦ 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
Integrating the Justice Lenses at CUG
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Affinity Group Receptions
◦ Sunday – May 18th from 7 to 8 pm
◦ Tuesday – May 20th from 4 to 5 pm
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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
ann.tiemeyer@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
Additional Logistical Information
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Register for CUG through May 14 at http://bit.ly/cug2014
After May 14, registration is in person only and fee goes up
to $350
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
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We are a community mutually enriched in Christ, on a
collective journey towards a vision of the full realization of
God’s reign
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We are a transformed community because of our encounter
with the triune God
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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
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We are a visible fellowship of unity, creating space for
belonging, listening, learning, and multi-dimensional
conversation
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We are a network of networks, facilitating the sharing of gifts
and resources for mission engagements
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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
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We are an organization for collective witness, called to repent
and to work for accountability in power structures
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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 18th from 6 to 7 pm
◦ Session will cover same material
◦ If you have additional questions come to
Orientation or contact one of the staff
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tony.kireopoulos@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
telephone – 917-287-1144
joseph.crockett@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
telephone – 212-870-1203
ann.tiemeyer@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
telephone – 917-923-9520
keith.swartzendruber@nationalcouncilofchurches.us
telephone – 202-481-6689