Building an Inclusive Church Trainings are For You!
The Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit is the time tested, ecumenically developed, community building, grace-filled means for opening up welcome in a congregation. Need we say more to convince you to attend a training based on this valuable tool?
Rev. Mark Johnston, Ph.D., Executive Director of GLAD’s Open & Affirming Ministry Program, says that we can’t say enough!
“A church need not be ‘ready’ to become Open & Affirming for leadership to benefit from the Toolkit and this training. In fact, that’s the point, isn’t it?” says Dr. Johnston. “The Toolkit provides the tools and process to bring more welcome understanding, and affirmation to any church in a grace-filled way.”
How can you help? Glad you asked!
- Do you know someone who would like to see their congregation become Open & Affirming?
- Do you know a congregation that could – or should – be moving to increase welcome and perhaps become Open & Affirming?
Share this Crossbeams article via email. Call them. Contact Mark at mark@gladalliance.org who will call them. Post this article to your Facebook page and tag people who should sit up and notice. You know how it works!
Trainings are provided by the Institute for Welcoming Resources and scheduled throughout the year. At the moment, two trainings are on the schedule:
- Oct 21-22 at Phoenix Central Community of Christ, Phoenix, AZ.
- December 9-10 at Carthage Christian Church, Cincinnati, OH, Mark Johnston and Disciples pastor Debra Peevey will be providing this training.
We are also trying something new. On September 23 at the Disciple Seminary Foundation in Claremont, CA, Mark Johnston will be present a mini-Building an Inclusive Church Training. This event will cover the tools in the Building an Inclusive Church Toolkit and the recommendations for designing an Open & Affirming for your congregation.
More information about the training in Claremont is here. RSVP to Leah. Please note dietary restrictions. $10 fee covers lunch; students free.
Contact Mark at mark@gladalliance.org for more information about any of these trainings.