Around 150 Wesleyan leaders representing 14 districts attended the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) Annual Conference in Raleigh, N.C. Twenty-seven attendees were from East Michigan District alone.
A partner of The Wesleyan Church, the CCDA gathers thousands of church practitioners, denominational leaders, faith-based organizers, community developers, and advocates from across the world for its annual conference. Every year, Wesleyan leaders attend a shoulder event called Wesleyan Networking Day, a time to gather with other Wesleyan leaders to learn how others are ministering in their local cities and town. The networking event is hosted by Wesleyan Community Based Ministries of the Church Multiplication and Discipleship Division under the leadership of Rev. Jeremy Summers, director of spiritual formation.
This year, more than 100 participated in the Wesleyan Networking Day. The group started the day at Love Chapel Hill, a flourishing and influential Wesleyan church in the heart of Chapel Hill, N.C. Rev. Matt LeRoy and his team shared their vision and mission of what it means to love their community and how they are living out this incarnational mission of being the church in their neighborhood and community. The Wesleyan Networking Day concluded with a dinner and a time of encouragement and prayer, hearing from Wesleyan leaders including, Dr. Jo Anne Lyon, Dr. Jim Dunn, Rev. Mark Judkins, Rev. Mike Ennis, Rev. Santes Beatty, and Rev. Beth Cossin. Rev. Jeremy Summers also gave a report on Community Based Ministries and Urban Urgency.
What some attendees said about this year’s conference:
“I am still amazed at what a great experience we had at both the Wesleyan Networking Day and also the CCDA Conference. We (Freedom Roots, Salisbury, NC) are still commenting on how the Holy Spirit moved us all. We left Raleigh with a better knowledge how to apply biblical principles to our community ministry efforts, and our friends at Love Chapel Hill helped us see what selfless love looks like when lived out in the community. –Dustin Wilson, Freedom Roots, Salisbury, North Carolina
“Wesleyans practicing community based ministries will not find a greater source of best practices, biblical inspiration, and step-by-step processes to bring the good news of Jesus in both action and truth, than the CCDA annual conference.
–Mark Judkins, pastor and director at The Wesley Community Center and East Michigan CCDA, Detroit, Michigan
“I consider the Wesleyan Networking Event and the CCDA Conference to be vision-shaping. Each of us leaves with a clearer picture of how God wants to use us in our own contexts. Stories are powerful both from our Wesleyan friends and those outside of the denomination. I value this time to meet with Wesleyans engaged in community based ministries. It was great to the heart, the story, and vision of a local ministry this year too (Love Chapel Hill). –Chris Hofland, Local Impact Pastor, Holland, Michigan
Mark your calendars now for next year’s Wesleyan Networking Day and CCDA Conference: November 11-14 2015, in Memphis, Tenn. Stay tuned for registration and event details.
Interested in engaging and reaching your community, or have questions on where to start? Please contact Rev. Jeremy Summers, Director of Spiritual Formation at 317.774.3891 or summersj@wesleyan.org.
