SUPPORTED AFFILIATES
Olivet College
Founded by Congregationalists, Olivet College is a private liberal arts college located in south-central Michigan. The college was the first in the country by charter to accept women and persons of color. Its more than 900 students participate in a unique educational experience known as the Olivet Plan. As part of this effort, students are engaged in both classroom and practical programs incorporating real world experiences with lectures and service learning. The College's commitment to providing access to a comprehensive and diverse learning environment is reflected in all aspects of the Olivet Plan. The aspirations of Olivet College are advanced in the College's vision: Education for Individual and Social Responsibility.
Piedmont University
Piedmont is a private liberal arts university founded by Congregationalists and based upon the Judeo-Christian tradition. The Judeo-Christian tradition comprises the humane values upon which Western Civilization is based. It promotes concern for others and the acceptance for individual responsibility that are essential for ethical conduct and citizenship. Through fostering understanding and acceptance of this tradition, Piedmont University strives to further develop the individual's personal growth through self-understanding and the ability to lead and work effectively with others.
The American Congregational Association (Congregational Library and Archives)
“The Congregational Library and Archives are administered by the American Congregational Association, a non-profit organization founded May 25, 1853. The 1853 ACA charter stated that the organization was incorporated "for the purpose of establishing and perpetuating a library of religious history and literature of New England, and for the erection of a suitable building for the accommodation of the same, and for the use of charitable societies." It was felt that the latter should be done or the original Puritan literature would be lost. The Congregational Library now holds 225,000 items documenting the history of one of the nation's oldest and most influential religious traditions.” (from their website).
AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS
The American Committee of the International Congregational Fellowship (AMCO)
AMCO is comprised of Congregationalists, representing the North America region of the International Congregational Fellowship. Members who attend the NACCC’s Annual Meeting and Conference often meet together and invite all to join them in this vibrant fellowship.
Committee for the Continuation of Congregational Christian Churches
The Committee for the Continuation of Congregational Christian Churches has worked steadily since the late 1940s to help churches navigate times of institutional turmoil. Its work grew out of, but eventually grew beyond, the “merger controversy” that saw the birth of the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference (1945), the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (1955), and the United Church of Christ (1957). Although the committee’s history is most closely intertwined with that of the NACCC, it has no formal affiliation with any church body or denomination. The committee’s whole purpose is not to influence how a local church should choose its affiliations or what those affiliations should be, but only to aid the local church in maintaining its own freedom of choice.
The International Congregational Fellowship
“The International Congregational Fellowship is a vibrant global expression of a multiplicity of local Congregational churches and associational bodies across the world. For Congregationalists, how our churches are organized and run have to reflect the principles and values that Jesus taught, and the pattern we find for church life and Christian leadership in the Bible. Congregational churches do not exist in isolation but have traditionally formed free associations or networks. ICF provides a global identity and a valuable opportunity for Congregationalists from all over the world to enjoy fellowship with one another.” (from their website) International gatherings happen every four years.
The Washington Gladden Society
The purpose of the Washington Gladden Society is to honor Washington Gladden’s memory by applying the insights of the Social Gospel Movement to the important, controversial ethical and theological issues of our own times. It serves as a forum for discussion among Christians and local Churches in the Congregational tradition. This Society was born out of the needs expressed by laity and clergy who felt it worthwhile to expand the witness of the NACCC, while keeping their decisions, actions, and resolutions independent of the Association’s business. Meetings are held at the time of the NACCC Annual Meeting and Conference.
The Congregational Society
This Society’s mission is to offer silent retreats, days of prayer, and other useful means of lifting up the power of individual and corporate prayer life. Twice a year, the Society hosts a silent retreat and invites clergy and laity to attend this time of spiritual reflection and renewal. One retreat is held just ahead of the Annual Meeting and Conference. The other, which usually meets for a longer duration of at least 2-3 days, typically takes place in the autumn and may occur regionally. Members of the Society are also available to lead, to train or assist others to lead Classical Silent Retreats for local churches or regional associations. There are offerings of varying lengths. Standard to all Classical Silent Retreats are prayer, devotional reading, and work in the quiet.
