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For a time, such as this - Resilience, Flexibility and Adaptation
We are living in unprecedented times, calling us to respond in extraordinary ways. As we enter the second week of lockdown here in South Africa, we could not have imagined how drastically our lives have changed.
We hope and trust that you and your families are safe and healthy. Our prayers go out to those who are most vulnerable, and whose lives and livelihoods have been jeopardised. We encourage everyone to do their utter best to unite, in big and small ways, to ensure that the pandemic is kept away from the most vulnerable communities.
The IAM team has been working from home for the past week. We put measures in place to ensure the safety of our staff and partners (see them here). This has led to the postponement of some IAM grant activities; the repositioning of IAM, accompanied by an ongoing conversation amongst our team to think out of the box for innovative solutions for a time such as this. This process continues to stretch us in ways we never thought possible. We are learning new skills and methods of connecting with one another and partners to remain relevant and productive. We are in ongoing conversations with our donors and partners to find ways through these unchartered waters.
As part of our response to COVID -19 we are producing weekly blogs on “I AM as a caring community” and we campaigned against the hate speech we have seen emerging from some corners, reminding our community that “We are more than COVID-19 hate speech”. We are exploring exciting new ways of connecting with our community, such as an online Contextual Bible Study which we plan to launch soon. We welcome your comments and ideas – you can simply hit reply to this email to share them, or email us at info@iam.org.za.
On a personal level, during this time (including the Easter Season in the Christian tradition), we will have moments to reflect. It is up to each of us to embrace this unique window of opportunity to contemplate what COVID-19 reveals to us – about ourselves, our work, our world and our relationships with one another and mother earth. Certainly this will lead to new insights, as well as facing some hard questions e.g. have our civil society structures and networks proved sufficiently resilient to sustain our communities through these difficult times? Have we, as individuals, demonstrated the compassion, generosity and gratitude that we would want to receive from others? This most probably will be accompanied by “deaths or losses” of old ways of being and “resurrections” of something/someone new.
We believe that with others that we will emerge from this adversity into a better, fairer, more inclusive and sustainable world where our planet is respected and our commitment to protect our natural environment will be stronger than ever. May our faith and our belief in a shared humanity be strengthened.
With love and in solidarity,
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Ecclesia de Lange
Director, IAM
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IAM at 25: Our university and seminary partnerships
In celebrating our 25th anniversary, the IAM team reflects on the diverse partners and projects that inform and shape our work. IAM’s Michelle Boonzaaier looks back at the start of IAM’s partnerships with tertiary institutions, where they are today, and the spaces for co-creation that they open up today for both partners.
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I AM a community that cares
2020 marks the 25-year Celebration of Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM). As we reflect and celebrate our 25 years, we are also in the midst of a viral pandemic that is set to change our reality in ways we have not yet grasped. As an organisation we have already been affected and have had to postpone a number of events. We have had to re-evaluate what it means to say I AM HERE. As a team we have committed to journey honestly with the complexities of celebrating 25 years, while asking ourselves critical questions. One of the first questions that we are posed with is what does it mean when we say IAM is a community that cares?
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We are more than COVID-19 hate speech
We are concerned that those who are vulnerable in our society can easily become the scapegoat for collective and unfounded hate speech, leading to stigma and even violence. We want to invite you to join us in addressing stigmatisation in your next sermon.
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Inclusive Liturgy Examples: IAM is often asked for practical advice on how clergy can incorporate more inclusive, welcoming and open liturgies into worship. Some powerful, life-affirming examples of inclusive liturgies came out of our recent work with UKZN's Master's of Theology students. Keep an eye on our social media channels to get ideas to adapt and incorporate in upcoming Easter celebrations.
Wellness and Spirituality Training Guides: Over the past year, IAM has worked to create a flexible guide for facilitators and participants to look closely at wellness and spirituality. Designed initially for caregivers, our current context makes it even more widely applicable. The IAM team is currently rolling out the training with a small pilot group. We will tell you more about this resource in the coming weeks.
Online Contextual Bible Study: IAM and its partners are busy working towards the launch of an online contextual bible study guide and practice to be used by our community in these trying times of physical distancing.
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At IAM we are continually striving to create a sense of belonging in a country that has great love and potential but is often characterised by harsh divisions. We are creating safe spaces for dialogue where the marginalised can finally have a voice. But, we can't do it alone.
We ask that you, our IAM friends, consider supporting us financially in our ongoing transformative work throughout Africa. With your help, we can build on the accomplishments of the past 25 years and continue on for many years to come.
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Follow IAM on LinkedIn
Are you an avid LinkedIn user? Follow IAM's LinkedIn page and stay up to date with the latest in IAM news.
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