For Congregations

A Special 2026 Fellowship for Christian Congregations

ICJS is offering an opportunity for Christian congregations to dialogue and learn together. In this ecumenical fellowship, Christians of all backgrounds will gather to examine theology, history, and practice; explore what it means to be Christian in the United States today; and consider how Christians can work for religious pluralism. This fellowship will be an opportunity to learn from and with others while deepening personal understanding.

The Fellowship for Congregations is a 10-week cohort experience for Christians who are part of an active congregation. Congregations must send 2-4 representatives to the fellowship, and at least one must have a leadership role at the church—either staff or volunteer. Fellows will develop an applied learning project to take back to their home congregation. Congregations receive a stipend for successful completion of the program.

If you or your congregation are interested in learning more, please fill out this form, and we will be in touch.

If you are a member of a Jewish or Muslim congregation and would like to know more about interreligious opportunities, programs, and resources at ICJS, please contact Christine Krieger at ckrieger@icjs.org.

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Commitments & Expectations

ICJS Commitments

Create space for learning and dialogue among Christians of all denominations
Support fellows in strengthening interreligious understanding within your own religious community;
Foster relationships between diverse religious communities;
Provide a Congregational Stipend for completing all fellowship commitments.

Fellow Commitments

Attend 8 out of 10 cohort gatherings
Attend half-day retreat
Attend 2 religious services with congregations of faiths other than your own
Attend 1 correlated learning experience (e.g., ICJS courses or events, community events with other congregations, Interfaith webinars, field trips to religious sites)
Write a reflection essay for ICJS “Voices” column
Complete intercongregational, interreligious project and present summary to the cohort

Fellowship for Congregations Rosters

Congregational Leader Voices

I Didn’t Know What I Didn’t Know

Debbie Ingram Schmidt, Congregational Leaders Fellow alum

When I signed up to be part of ICJS’s Congregational Leaders Fellowship (CLF), I thought I had a pretty good understanding of the core beliefs and practices of the Jewish and Muslim faiths. I had read articles and attended lectures, and I have a few Jewish friends, some more religious than others. I’ve come to…

Congregational Leader Voices

Understanding Through Vulnerability

Mustafa Sharif, ICJS Congregational Leaders Fellow

Growing up, I developed a friendship with a child playing on the playground. As we grew older, we continued to gravitate to each other, noticing that we shared similar values. We didn’t allow ourselves to be negatively influenced by others. We both were stable and firm enough in our values that when peers attempted to…

Congregational Leader Voices

The Harmony of Interreligious Communication

Joanne Fritz Kraus, ICJS Congregational Leaders Alum

My mother was a logophile, a lover of words, who understood nuance even when she spoke directly. She taught her children to speak without the preparatory steps of babble and baby talk. It was a “sink or swim” technique. We developed burgeoning vocabularies and fluency, but I’m not sure that we learned to communicate beyond…

Congregational Leader Voices

When Interreligious Bonds Become Essential

Michael Sarbanes, Congregational Leaders Fellow Alum

As I wrap up the ICJS Congregational Leaders Fellowship, I reflect on experiences I had during one of the most difficult periods of my life that laid a strong foundation for my interreligious story and upon which the fellowship built years later. A journey of profound interreligious sharing began when my wife Jill was diagnosed…

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Christine Krieger

Program Director for Congregations

Contact Christine