wfn.org | Faith communicators forum receives major Lilly Endowment grant

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Faith communicators forum receives major Lilly Endowment grant

RCCongress 2010 will use $200,000 grant for programming

NEW YORK?Lilly Endowment Inc. has awarded $200,000 to the Religion
Communication Congress 2010 for programming during the upcoming
once-a-decade gathering, scheduled for April 7-10, 2010 in Chicago.

Jeanean Merkel, program chair for the event says, ?Religion
Communication Congress 2010 is an unparalleled event, bringing
together people across the spectrums of faith, craft and border. While
much of our media has become borderless, there still are lines that
divide people of faith from understanding one another. That?s why this
event is essential for us to create a communication culture of the
future that embraces change and opens understanding.?

We are deeply grateful to the Lilly Endowment for this generous gift.

It will enable workshops that will refresh skills and bring
participants new understanding of other faith groups.

> ~ Daniel R. Gangler

With the theme, Embracing Change: Communicating Faith in Today?s
World, the congress will engage people from across the broad range of
faith communications in workshops, plenary presentations on the
social, religious and technological changes that impact the way they
tell stories of faith in tomorrow?s social and media landscape.

Now in its fifth decade, RCCongress 2010 is expected to bring together
more than 1,200 faith communicators to participate in a variety of
skill-building workshops, expert roundtables and presentations
designed to better equip them for new communications challenges.

?We are deeply grateful to the Lilly Endowment for this generous gift.
It will enable the program planners to continue building content for
workshops that will refresh skills and bring participants new
understanding of other faith groups,? says Finance Chair Daniel R.  Gangler.

The impressive lineup of presenters to date includes Jeffrey Cole, who
has been at the forefront of media and communication technology policy
issues in both the United States and internationally for more than two
decades. Dr. Cole is director of the Center for the Digital Future,
University of Southern California (USC) Annenberg School for
Communication and a research professor; Dr. Ingrid Mattson, director
of Islamic Chaplaincy and Professor at the Macdonald Center for
Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary in
Hartford, CT; and Jim McDonnell, a leading media advocate in Europe,
will moderate a panel on the media?s role in social cohesion and
acceptance of cultural and religious diversity.

Creative music artists Ken Medema and Jorge Lockward will bring their
unique talents to the gathering. Medema has been listening to faith
stories and giving back the words as songs for more than three decades
now. Lockward will share his experience in bringing multi-cultural
music expression to global gatherings.

To encourage young people from around the world to participate in
RCCongress2010 organizers are offering scholarships through the Global
Partners Fund (www.rccongress2010.org/globalpartners).

RCCongress 2010 is an international multi-faith forum for
communication of religion. The congress is being planned and hosted by
North American faith groups.

Lilly Endowment, Inc. is a private foundation that follows the wishes
of its founders by supporting the causes of religion, education and
community development.

For more information about RCCongress2010 visit www.rccongress2010.org.
Media Contact

Lesley Crosson, lcrosson@churchworldservice.org

> 212-870-2676

? I joined the communications staff of PC(USA) a few months before
RCC2000. My career had been focused in the secular non-profit world so
I needed to get up to speed on the unique challenges facing
communicators in the faith communities quickly.

Attending RCC2000 was a transformative experience for me. In one
place, in a very short time, I met key communicators and attended
amazing workshops. I made lasting friends and professional contacts. I
felt like I received an advanced degree in less than a week. I
couldn't have learned so much, so fast, so enjoyably any other place. ?

> Dianna Ott

Director of Creative Services, Communications and Funds Development,
General Assembly Council, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Louisville, Kentucky

Religion Communication Congress | Voice: 212-870-2985 | Fax:
212-870-2171 | info@rccongress2010.org