On July 15-17, we had the joy of hosting the Consortium of Christian Study Centers' 14th Annual Meeting. 150 people from study centers across the nation came to Chapel Hill for three days of stimulating intellectual presentations, peer-led workshops, and casual conversations over meals. The week began with an opening reception at 203 Battle Lane, where Madison led a session on the NCSC's vision for holistic student formation. Later in the week, Andrew also led a workshop on caring for students' well-being during crises. The plenary sessions included keynote lectures from UNC's Provost, Chris Clemens, and Belmont's President, Greg Jones. Karl Johnson, the Executive Director of the Consortium, also gave an update on the study center movement. Here are some of his thoughts on the Annual Meeting:
“It was our great pleasure to hold the Consortium's 14th Annual Meeting at the North Carolina Study Center. We had record attendance (about 150 persons) and a veritable banquet of workshops and keynote presentations. Keynoter Greg Jones pointed out that when it comes to reimagining education as formation - habits and practices that shape character - Christian Study Centers are leading the way. These sorts of insights and observations left us both encouraged but also with a sense of the tremendous opportunities that remain before us. This gathering will be remembered fondly by all who attended for years to come, and we're ever grateful to the NCSC staff for their warm hospitality!”
Karl E. Johnson
Our NCSC team enjoyed meeting staff from other centers, sharing best practices, and having the chance to serve by coordinating logistics and catering. The annual meeting, which happens every summer, is always an encouraging time to remember the importance of our work and continually refine our mission. We look forward to next summer's meeting in Charlottesville, VA, and are excited to see what God will do in Chapel Hill this year.
