Training Programs
PARISH LEADERSHIP COLLOQUY (PLC)
After teaching RSI courses, an emphasis on teaching church leaders was discerned, resulting in the creation of the Parish Leadership Colloquy. It was a combination of two courses: Religious Studies I (RS) and The Local Congreation (RSIIIA) for church leaders. It was orginally taught in the Faith and Life Community as The Parish Ministers Colloquy to address the need for a group ministry approach toward the church renewal. A PLC Review was done at the Summer program in 1973, a new PLC construct was created and a PLC lecture given in November 1973.
INTERNATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTE (ITI)
The ITI was based on the Academy curriculum, but with a greater emphasis on practical field work. The ITI varied in length from three to six weeks, focused on teaching church leadership globally. The first ITI held in 1969 was held at Trinity College in Singapore with 102 participants from 23 nations. Since then the ITI has been held in Africa, India, North and South America, Australia, Europe and Western Samoa. The March/April 1970 i.e. publication focused on describing the Singapore ITI. A Report to Sponsors followed the Singapore ITI. This image shows the ITIs held from 1969-1976 globally; and this chart shows the participants by nation.
- ITI: Penang, 1976
- Wickham, E.A., Bishop of Middleton,ITI Frankfurt: Mission to Modern Secular Man, January 7, 1975 and Living in the Secular World, January 5, 1975
- Andrews, Harold A., The Task Before Us, Caracas ITI Reports, January 26, 1975
- de Herrera, Graciela, The Victorious Church, The Final Report, Caracas ITI January 26,1975
- Slicker, Joseph, Reflections on the Frankfurt ITI, Global Operations Centrum: Chicago, February 10, 1975
- Marshall, Gene, ITI Report: India, October 1, 1973
- International Training Institutes (ITI) for World Churchmen
- ITI: Singapore, September 14, 1969
LCX ADVANCED TRAINING SCHOOL
Mathews, Joseph, Local Church PSU, LCX Training School, December 1971
URBAN ACADEMY
In 1969 a six-week training program for urban leaders was launched to give people visions of possibility and tools to be part of the change dynamic in their urban communities. Most participants were from Fifth City and Chicago’s South Side. George West, dean, reports that didn’t go so well with temptations of city, distractions, drugs, and escape which were so nearby. Later it was renamed the Black Academy and held in a retreat center in the middle of a cornfield. George taught four Urban Academies. He and Rose were the only white people on the staff. The first one was in 5th City and all the participants disappeared. So they did the second in the country to make sure they didn’t lose participants! 385 people participate in the four Urban Academies.
Ward, Larry, Spirit Analysis of North America: Report from the Black Penetration Team, North American Presidium, March 17, 1972; Urban Academy Report: My Heart Shall Rejoice, November 1971; Spirit Edge of Black Churchmen, EI: Chicago, March 1971
THE GLOBAL ACADEMY
- Academy Report: The Edge of the Spirit in Our Times, Gene Marshall, December 1971 (for printing)
- Journey of Order Training, John Baggett (March 13, 1971)
- Academy Pedgagogy