The Living the Word Justice and Equity Ministry Cohort (LtW-JE) is a place-based community ministry that coaches congregational teams of any Christian denomination to work together to establish a ministry to address local inequity issues.
– Sponsored by the North Carolina Conference of United Methodist Church
– Funded by Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative
The Living the Word Ministry (LtW) has operated in 6 different counties/localities in the last 12 years: Rural Orange, Harnett, Lee, Robeson, Southern Alamance, and Wilson.
The goals are to: 1) develop and implement a collaborative ecumenical community ministry; 2) foster congregational leadership and vitality; 3) develop church-to-church collaboration; and 4) promote collaboration between congregations and other community organizations.
Process
– Congregations volunteer to participate and form teams of 3-5 clergy and laity members
– Each congregation becomes a learning community and takes part in a year-long reflection, discernment, and skill-building process
– The process involves congregations
• Identifying assets and Starting with What You’ve Got, and
• What’s Goin’ On in the community
– Congregational teams engage curricula in four areas: Mission Development, Spiritual Biography, Biblical Justice, Congregational Learning Community
– Congregational teams, through Renewing Your Mind, have access to the necessary resources to acquire the skills and competencies to start the prospective justice and equity collaborative ministry
– Congregations apply new knowledge, skills, and practices.
