Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between the Commission on Congregational Development and the CCD staff?

The Commission on Congregational Development (CCD) is a group appointed by the Provincial Elders’ Conference (PEC) of the Southern Province to serve and assist the PEC in fulfilling its responsibilities to supervise congregations and encourage them in their ministry.  The CCD is comprised of lay and clergy leaders, a Christian Educator, Florida/Georgia District representation, and a representative age range. The planning, oversight and organization work is done through the CCD and working groups. The directions and projects enacted through the CCD are supported by the staff involvement in a variety of ways. Staff provide frontline support and resources to congregations throughout the year and give feedback to the CCD on what kinds of needs and requests are coming from congregations and leaders.

 

What happened to the Board of Cooperative Ministries?

In 2021, the Provincial Elders’ Conference, “in response to dynamics of the past two years, including decreased Provincial income and extended pandemic church closings, the PEC has focused on how best to apply reduced resources to support and enhance congregational development. After much study and consideration, PEC is creating this new Commission to provide advising and coaching for pastors and congregation leaders on specific ministry development needs, replacing our current educational programming focused model.” (July 18, 2021 announcement from the PEC).  This shift to the Commission model, resulted in the suspension of the Board of Cooperative Ministries (BCM)until the 2022 Synod could change the book of order to reflect a new structure. Many of the responsibilities of the BCM are included under the the Commission on Congregational Development in the new structure.

 

Can I order curriculum through the Resource Center?

No. We are no longer ordering curriculum through the Resource Center. We have publisher information available on our website so you can order directly from the publishers. We will continue to offer consultation on curriculum choices to fit your needs. Call our office to talk with someone about curriculum questions or help with making your own orders directly.

 

What happened to the BCM working groups?

We still have the working groups that remained active during the Covid-19 Pandemic. The Commission model will rely on three umbrella working groups (Spiritual Growth, Community and Mission) that include teams that address specific areas of ministry, i.e. Aging Well, Mental and Brain Health, Children and Family, etc. If you are interested in participating in a working group or have an idea of a specific area of focus email us at [email protected] or call our office at 336-722-8126.

 

How can I see what is available in the lending library and resource center?

You can come by our offices Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm to browse. You can also browse the lending library online here.