Community Transformation Resources

American Friends Service Committee – http://www.afsc.org/
The American Friends Service Committee carries out service, development, social justice, and peace programs throughout the world. Founded by Quakers in 1917 to provide conscientious objectors with an opportunity to aid civilian war victims, AFSC's work attracts the support and partnership of people of many races, religions, and cultures. AFSC's work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. The organization's mission and achievements won worldwide recognition in 1947 when it accepted the Nobel Peace Prize with the British Friends Service Council on behalf of all Quakers.
The AFSC is directed by a Quaker board and staffed by Quakers and other people of faith who share the Friends' desire for peace and social justice.

Appreciative Inquiry (Clergy Leadership Institute) – http://www.clergyleadership.com/clergy/index.html
Appreciative Inquiry is based on the idea of discovering what works and gives life to an organization and building the organization on these life giving properties. David Cooperrider, the founder or Appreciative Inquiry describes it this way: “More than a method or technique, the appreciative mode of inquiry is a means of living with, being with and directly participating in the life of a human system in a way that compels one to inquire into the deeper life-generating essentials and potentials of organizational existence.”David Cooperrider In using AI in churches it is described as discovering "What in God's name is going on here" and then designing the church structure and programs to enable more of these Godly things to be done and participated in.

Mike Green – Asset Based Community Development
(Community Partnerships that Really Work) – http://www.mike-green.org/index.php
Most community problem solving is focused on the action of government agencies and of non profit agencies. Most of the tremendous capacity in the everyday life of communities is not engaged in community problem solving. How do you get beyond agency services to engage your wider community; associations, congregations, residents, local business? Solving community problems and building a strong community require the assets of everyone. How do you involve an ever wider circle of participation? A strong community needs everyone. Engaging your community builds real democracy where more people move towards effective citizenship—places where people act together and care for each other.
 
Three Tools for Community Engagement: “Community Partnerships” must be organized where people in everyday life are at the center enrolling their community members. “Servant Institutions” must be developed that are skilled at supporting community groups to get stronger. “Community Inclusion” strategies must be used to bring a growing circle of people into contribution to their community. The role of “agencies” AND of “community” are BOTH essential!

Training Workshops and Consultation on Community Engagement:

Community Partnerships—Develop skills to begin a group which can truly engage the wider community beyond services. Our approach focuses on the following questions. How do you develop a “community organization” that can do Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) effectively? How do you develop community organizing staff and community leaders? How do you involve a wide circle of participation beyond services and clients?

Servant Institutions—Learn how to develop an agency that can effectively support the work of community groups to build their community. We address these questions. How do you engage the community for a stronger agency? What can your agency practically do to develop stronger community residents and groups? How do you find your assets for contribution to a stronger community? How can your organization change its culture and practice to “community development” rather than “service delivery”? How can every staff person build democracy and encourage citizenship every day?

Community Inclusion—Both agencies and community groups can contribute to building a bridge from “client” to “citizen”. How do you create local ways for connecting people on the edge of your community to people in the center? How to create special community building initiatives to integrate people such as those labeled disabled, mentally ill, troubled youth? Or ex-offenders, welfare recipients, or isolated elders? Welcome the marginalized labeled client back into everyday life as a contributing community member.

Episcopal Peace Fellowship – http://www.episcopalpeacefellowship.org/home.htm
To aid and encourage all Episcopalians to strive for justice and peace among all people and to bear nonviolent witness to Christ's call to peace. As a community we are dedicated to discovering and practicing the biblical concept of peace. This Shalom/Salaam includes a commitment to renounce, so far as possible, participation in war and other forms of violence. The EPF recognizes that there can be no peace without a commitment to justice, and no justice without reconciliation. Thus, the EPF endeavors to develop within the Church a community of Christians pledged to peace, justice, reconciliation, and non-violence.

Education for Ministry (EFM) – http://www.sewanee.edu/EFM/EFMhome.html
Education for Ministry, affectionately known as EFM, is a program of theological education-at-a-distance of the School of Theology of the University of the South. Students sign up one year at a time for this four-year program. It covers the basics of a theological education in the Old and New Testaments, church history, liturgy, and theology. Students meet regularly, usually once a week, in seminars under the guidance of trained mentors. The program grants a certificate at the completion of the four years and 18 Continuing Education Units for each year's work.

International Parish Nurse Resource Center – http://ipnrc.parishnurses.org/
The mission of the International Parish Nurse Resource Center is to promote the development of quality parish nurse programs through research, education, and consultation. The International Parish Nurse Resource Center is organized:

• As a reference center for people desiring information about the philosophy and activities of nurses in congregations across the country.
• As a convener of annual educational programs where nurses can meet to learn about current developments in parish nursing.
• To provide consultation to institutions, agencies, and churches which organize parish nurse programs.
• To promote an understanding of the role of parish nurse professionals in promoting health and wellness within the church community.

LifeCycles – http://www.leaderresources.org
This process of ministry formation has grown out of the experience of the Episcopal Diocese of Northern Michigan, which has been a pioneer in renewing the life and ministry of its congregations by empowering them to call and train from their own membership local ministry support teams. Each congregation identified the ministry to which God called them and identified specific people to lead them in various roles. After a time of preparation, the entire team was commissioned in a liturgy which also included the renewal of baptismal vows by the entire congregation and the ordination of those called to ordained roles.

People from around the country and the world were drawn to the simplicity, the empowerment of every member and the renewal of the congregations inherent in this process. Responding to the requests of many around the globe, the diocese decided to revise their curriculum, building on their experience.

The Episcopal Diocese of Nevada also had years of experience in local ministry development. They and the Episcopal Diocese of Wyoming, active participants in the national movement in ministry development known as ''Living Stones,'' joined the project along with Harvesters -- a ministry development partnership of the Episcopal dioceses and seminaries of New England.

This program draws from the experience and insight of people who have been engaged in the process of ministry development for many years. LifeCycles is being written and continually supplemented by a team of people from these dioceses working with LeaderResources as the editor and publisher. On one hand, it has been written for ourselves -- it is another of the ongoing revisions we do to improve our materials and keep the process fresh and relevant. On the other hand, we are sharing our experience with you. We do not presume that what works for us will necessarily work for you. So, this program is being published electronically to enable you to adapt and revise it to fit your needs. In fact, we believe this process will work best when you make it your own. So, we encourage you to see what we did, try it out, change it and send us your improvements. We would love to learn from you as we hope you will learn from us. Welcome to LifeCycles -- a process of ministry development that has, is and will continue to improve as a now global learning community lives and works with it, continually sharing with one another ideas and resources to enrich it.

LifeCycles generally is used in one of three ways:

• As a foundational program of spiritual formation and education for
  adults -- especially in congregations seeking to deepen their members' faith lives and increase their members' participation and leadership in the life and mission of the church.
• In the context of that process, as a way to prepare and train local ministry support teams, some of whom will be commissioned to specific roles, some ordained.
• To support the ongoing process whereby such local ministry support teams continue to build skills, gain knowledge, increase understanding, develop spiritually and support one another in the exercise of their mutual ministry.

M.K. Gandhi Institute – http://www.gandhiinstitute.org/
The Mission of the Gandhi Institute ...is to promote and apply the principles of nonviolence locally, nationally, and globally, to prevent violence and resolve personal and public conflicts through research, education, and programming. The Institute, founded by Arun Gandhi (Mahatma Gandhi's grandson) and his wife Sunanda, was established to promote and teach the philosophy and practice of nonviolence to help reduce the violence that consumes our hearts, our homes, and our societies.

Natural Church Development – http://www.churchsmart.com
ChurchSmart Resources is an independent Christian publishing company and training organization. Its focus is on church planting, church health and leadership development. ChurchSmart Resources began publishing in 1994 with the goal to produce practical books and resource kits at affordable prices that would help church leaders improve their ministry effectiveness. Many church leaders have come to know the organization through the national partner for Natural Church Development (NCD) in the USA. Through the end of 2003 ChurchSmart has trained nearly 2000 church leaders in NCD principles and surveyed over 20,000 churches in the USA. At last count it was working with churches from over 60 different denominations. The dream of ChurchSmart is to partner with ministry leaders to create a “new normal” for churches in America and around the world. It wants to see churches that are healthy, vibrant and multiplying. To see church leaders overflowing with hope, joy and love for the people God sends their way.

Peace and Justice – http://www.episcopalchurch.org/peace-justice/
The Peace and Justice Ministries Office of the Episcopal Church equips Episcopalians to carry out the promise made in their Baptismal Covenant to "strive for peace and justice and respect the dignity of every human being." The programs seek to support justice ministries at the local level by supporting networks - domestic and international, by providing resources, by sustaining committees and networks, and by advocating the social policies of the church to government.