In 2024, New Faith Communities (NFC) embarked on a significant initiative in partnership with the Office of Clergy Life: Empower and Inspire. This innovative program provides comprehensive support to a diverse cohort of newly appointed pastors across various stages of their ministry journeys. 

Pastors convened monthly at the Church at Spring Forest in Hillsborough with Rev. Dr. Elaine Heath for a full day of prayer, work, table, neighbor, and rest. The day includes communal morning prayer, engaging classes on contemplative spirituality and missional ecclesiology, and time for quiet reflection and rest. Participants actively engaged in farm work, fostering a sense of community and grounding in practical action. There is dedicated time allocated for discussion and reflection on readings from a curated syllabus. The Empower and Inspire cohort aims to cultivate a deep foundation in contemplative practices, ultimately empowering pastors to effectively engage in missional work within their communities.

New Faith Communities has also worked with other partners for great impact in the NCCUMC such as: 

Duke Endowment Support
NFC, with generous funding from the Duke Endowment, supported the vital ministries and pastoral leadership at Pine Valley UMC, Trinity Lighthouse UMC in Fayetteville, and Elizabeth UMC in Smithfield.

Emerging Church Support
NFC’s commitment to emerging church models extended to a partnership with Angier UMC.

New Faith Communities’ is unwavering in its commitment to supporting pastors and fostering vibrant, mission-driven congregations within the North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church. May we all be a part of the movement to co-create new places for new people to gather in communion with Jesus Christ.