| 6 days focused on faith, heart, mind and skills for the art of intercultural ministry |
Program Dates and Locations
February 2013 Register
- Sunday, February 10, 4:00 pm – Saturday February 16, 2013, 3:00 pm
- 6 day residential program
- program includes evening activities (Ash Wednesday evening optional)
- Toronto (Scarboro Missions)
- Cost $1410 (including meals and accommodation)
June 2013 Register
- Sunday, June 9, 4:00 pm – Saturday June 15, 2013, 3:00 pm
- 6 day residential program
- program includes evening activities
- Toronto (Toronto School of Theology & St. Michaels College)
- Cost $1410 (including meals and accommodation)
Fall 2013 weekend seminar series Register
- Sept 12-14, Oct 10-12, Nov 14-16
- 9 day non-residential program
- program includes evening activities
- Toronto (downtown TBA)
- Cost $1755 (including meals)
- accommodation available for additional fee
2014
- Other program locations in Canada (to be announced)
Who is this program For
This program is for leaders in Christian Churches and ministry settings who desire vibrant faith communities engaged in cultural relevance, understanding and awareness. The DUIM program is shaped by theological appreciation of diversity and a justice orientation focused on mutuality and respect.
While participants will have a variety of experience with intercultural ministry for most this will be a first experience of comprehensive cohesive faith based training in intercultural ministry.
In 2013 participants will predominantly be shaped by the ‘dominant Canadian culture’. This means they will themselves be shaped by this culture or are serving a ministry setting largely shaped by this culture. In the future the program will be expanded to respond to participants who would self identify differently.
Participants will be able to commit to the full program including evening activities.
What is the Program
A holistic intensive 6 day residential program which will help you:
- Gain a greater understanding of your own culture and abilities and aptitudes in intercultural settings. The program will begin with the recognition that we are all shaped by culture(s). A variety of activities will help you identify and reflect on the culture(s) that shape you.
- Engage in a faith based approach to theories of culture and healthy relationships.
- Apply your learning to better understanding your ministry context. Ministry settings and the Canadian Churches have cultures shaped by a history and reality that needs to be understood as part of the process of engaging the culture(s) of your current context.
- Practice and apply learning to your ministry responsibilities, including pastoral care, worship leadership, education, nurturing faith communities and ministry in the wider community. You will have the opportunity to choose areas of ministry on which to reflect more deeply, and will have opportunity to hear fellow participants reflections on other areas of ministry.
This will be an interactive, engaging program with practical ideas for implementation in your own context. There will be a variety of engaging activities drawing on the experience of the participants and others including self reflection, group work, guest speakers and resource people, hands on experience, worship, case studies and readings. Participants will form a learning community to be able to learn through each others experiences, wisdom, insights, and challenges.
Why this Program?
Canadian Churches increasingly desire to appreciate in thought, word and deed a diverse Canada and the diversity within their own ministry settings. Cultural diversity is not a new phenomenon in Canada, but there is recognition that building faithful relationships requires intentional learning. While there are many culture and diversity resources, there is an expressed need for faith-based training for intercultural ministry, particularly one shaped by a justice approach to diversity which fosters mutual, respectful, faithful relationships across cultural difference.
There is a growing awareness of a long history of diversity in Canada and globally that hasn’t always benefited from healthy relationships. Within Canada a critique of multiculturalism and the challenges of the Truth and Reconciliation process have helped to reveal relationships within God’s family that are broken by systems that would impose the cultural values and norms of one group on the whole community.
Who is Providing this Program?
Core facilitators training 2012:
Jeanette Romkema (GLP), Jonathan Schmidt (CCFGM), Chris Pullenayegem, Dave Warren, Chun Zhang, Irene Ty, Aruna Alexander, Adele Halliday, Janet Ross, Sonia Hinds, Carmen Ramirez, Roni Beharry, Alice Schuda (CCFGM), Kim Uyede-Kai, (Not pictured: Girma Bekele, Rafael Vallejo)
Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries (CCFGM) is an ecumenical agency with over 90 years of experience preparing individuals for ministry and life in intercultural settings. The DUIM program is designed and facilitated by a diverse team of facilitators and resource people experienced in intercultural ministry settings and trained in facilitation. The DUIM program draws on the experience and wisdom of CCFGM’s many partners. Over the past several years CCFGM has engaged in a number of informal and formal consultations with its partners across the Canadian Churches. Through these consultations emerged a clear need for faith based intentional learning for building faithful relationships across cultural diversity.
The next step of the process was to identify a diverse team of facilitators and resource people from across the church experienced in intercultural ministry settings. CCFGM worked with Global Learning Partners to gather this team for further training in designing program and facilitation.
This team draws on the content and resources of current CCFGMs programs, the consultation process, and their own experiences to design the DUIM program.
Learn more about CCFGM including its history.
More Questions?
If you have questions or want to talk to someone to help decide whether you will participate in this program please contact Canadian Churches Forum for Global Ministries Co-Directors, Jonathan Schmidt or Alice Schuda.