The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina (CBFNC) has selected 10 NC Baptist churches from across our fellowship for the first Shared Learning Cohort of the new Helping Churches Thrive initiative. Shared Learning Cohort churches will journey through a nine-month process of exploration, empowerment and experimentation in an opening retreat, monthly calls with notable authors and practitioners, church-wide workshops, a creative ministry endeavor funded by a grant, and a closing celebration retreat.
The churches selected for this first Shared Learning Cohort are:
| Edenton Baptist, Edenton | First Baptist, Valdese |
| Embrace Church, High Point | First Baptist, Wadesboro |
| First Baptist, Monroe | First Baptist, Waynesville |
| First Baptist, Rutherfordton | Iglesia Morning Light, Clemmons |
| First Baptist, Smithfield | LaFayette Baptist, Fayetteville |
“We are overwhelmingly excited to begin this journey with 11 diverse churches from across our state. Each church brings a unique experience and perspective, collectively providing the cohort an extraordinary opportunity to explore new ways of thriving in this challenging and complex world,” said Andy Hale, associate executive coordinator.
“From the mountains of western North Carolina to the Albemarle Sound, this first cohort is chock full of extraordinary churches, congregational leaders and clergy eager to engage in new ways of thriving now and into the future,” he added.
Thanks to a grant from Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative, CBFNC’s Helping Churches Thrive initiative aims to encourage the flourishing of congregations by helping them deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other and contribute to the vitality of their communities and the world.
Two primary components are at the core of Helping Churches Thrive: Shared Learning Cohorts and Collaborative Workshops. Shared Learning Cohorts focus on rethinking congregational thriving through a churchwide process. Collaborative Workshops will facilitate creative workshop retreat and event opportunities across the state in which all congregations are invited to participate as they are able and interested.
Applications for Shared Learning Cohorts will open annually in June. Learn more about Helping Churches Thrive at: cbfnc.org/helpingchurchesthrive.
