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Institute for Emerging Issues

Faith & Community

Moving forward together.
Wrestling with realities.
Building capacity for the long haul.

About Faith & Community

The Faith and Community Initiative at IEI has existed in partnership with The Duke Endowment since 2015 to fold rural North Carolina faith leaders into local and statewide leadership on emerging issues. IEI invites rural faith leaders to our Emerging Issues Forum and our annual Faith and Community Conference. We provide technical assistance on community-congregation partnerships throughout the year. Our network includes more than 400 clergy, lay leaders and partners.

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Faith & Community is made possible through the generous funding of the Duke Endowment.

news

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Annual Conference Draws Faith and Community Leaders to Tackle Tough Topics

Nearly 100 faith and community leaders from across North Carolina gathered at First United Methodist Church in Asheboro on April 15 and 16 for the 2024 Faith and Community Initiative annual conference, held by NC State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues. 

Meet Freya, IEI’s New Faith & Community Intern

Meredith College undergraduate student Freya Dahlgren joins IEI’s staff as the Faith & Community Initiative Intern. 

Faith Leaders Share Micro and Major Success Stories at ImagineHub Conference

IEI’s Faith & Community team was humbled to be in the audience at the third annual ImagineHub Summit at First United Methodist Church in Waynesville, NC, on October 5. 

pathways to engage

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Peer Networks

IEI’s Peer Networks are issue-based informal resource groups around topics rural faith leaders care about.

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Faith & Community Events

IEI hosts an annual gathering and other events throughout the year for faith leaders passionate about community engagement and collaborative partnerships in rural North Carolina.

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Emerging Issues Forum

Rural faith leaders from around North Carolina gather at the Emerging Issues Forum each year, along with statewide leaders in business, education, non-profits, government, and more.

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Resources

Making your impact a little easier by connecting you to the best resources.

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Questions? Contact:

EB
Ellen Beasley

Faith and Community Initiative Lead

919-515-5398