Interwoven Congregations' personal consulting and the Congregational Toolkit are vital resources to equip congregations on their racial justice journey. But they're not enough. As Cindy in Atlanta asked me two years ago, "How does my congregation interact and connect with other congregations that you work with? How are we interwoven?"
And that brings us to the new Interwoven Congregations Network -- and trees.
They're said to be the tallest trees in the world. Redwoods. Given that, you might expect that their root systems reach deeply down into the soil and bedrock to support their towering trunks and branches. But no, their root systems are surprisingly shallow. Redwood trees' root systems don't go deep, they go wide. Wide, so that their root systems interlock with the root systems of other redwoods nearby. That is the source of their strength when the wind blows, the snows come, water is scarce, or the ground shakes.
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And that is what we are precisely aiming to replicate with the Interwoven Congregations Network. We are seeking to develop an inter-locking root system of faith communities of different traditions, different races, different geographies -- so that we can stand stronger together. Congregations in the network learn from each other, encourage each other, build community together, hope together and work together -- all for the promise of racial justice and healing.
Who can join the Interwoven Congregations Network?
And what are the benefits and costs?
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Anyone who is 16 years of age and older. While Interwoven Congregations, as our name suggests, specializes in supporting faith communities, we invite ANYONE of good conscience who wishes to work for racial justice and healing to be a part of the Interwoven Congregations Network. Interwoven Congregations is also intent on engaging youth in the work of racial justice, but given the mature themes involved, we limit access to individuals who are 16 years of age or older.
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There are four ways to connect and participate on the Network:
1. Individuals. Everyone first joins the Network as an individual and can:
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access the full Network to interact and build community with people from around the country and indeed the globe who are dedicated to promoting racial justice.
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tap an array of antiracism resources provided in the Congregational Toolkit and through Interwoven's organizational partners.
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Keeping the Network Safe. We place great importance on creating and maintaining a space where we all can share safely in the work of racial justice. To that end, after you initially sign up for the Network, you will be prompted to: ​
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Confirm that you've read and agree to the Code of Conduct.
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Attest that you are at least 16 years of age.
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And share in a sentence or two why the work of racial justice is important to you. Interwoven Congregations then takes the final step of reviewing and approving each Network application, which we'll do within 24 hours.
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Membership Investment: Access to the Network is free to individuals, but we ask all individual members to make an annual donation of $25 ($10 for students or seniors). If you're not in a position to give financially, join the Network and contribute through your participation! For those who can give more, please do so to help defray the costs of Interwoven's work for racial justice and support the memberships of those with fewer financial resources. (For people joining from countries outside the United States, please convert the suggested membership fee into your own currency.)
2. Congregations. Faith communities can also join the Network and:
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Receive their own dedicated Congregation Hub in the Network -- a private space where their own congregation members can meet online to work for racial justice. Congregations that partner with another congregation(s) share their space making it a hub for relationship building and collaboration!
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Can utilize a quarterly consultation (via Zoom or in-person depending on schedules) with Interwoven to strategize over their antiracism efforts and help them be accountable for their own goals.
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Have the opportunity to participate in special events organized by Interwoven (i.e., civil rights pilgrimages, funding collaborations, professional antiracism trainings, etc.).
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Membership Investment: The membership fee for faith communities to join and receive their own dedicated Hub on the Network is $250 per year -- or just $100 for your first year if you sign up by September 30, 2025! (For congregations joining from countries outside the United States, please convert the suggested membership fee into your own currency.)
3. Networks of Congregations / Organizations. We also welcome larger networks of congregations (i.e., Presbyteries, Synods, Dioceses, Conferences, Conventions) and smaller networks (i.e., ministerial alliances or antiracism coalitions) to join the Network! Each congregational network / organization:
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has access to all the resources on the Network available to individuals,
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receives their own dedicated members-only Hub on the Network where all their members can gather, build relationships, and collaborate.
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Can utilize a consultation with Interwoven Congregations regarding the antiracism strategies for their network.
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Membership Investment: The annual membership fee for larger congregational networks in established denominations (i.e., Presbyteries, Dioceses, Conferences, etc.) is $1,000 per year -- or $500 for those networks that sign up by September 30, 2025! For smaller networks of congregations (i.e., ministerial alliances and antiracism coalitions), the membership fee is $100 per year -- or $50 if you join by September 30, 2025. (For congregational networks & related organizations joining from countries outside the United States, please convert the suggested membership fee into your own currency.)
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4. Organizational Partnerships. Interwoven welcomes select antiracism organizations to join the Network as a partner to extend their antiracism resources to all Network members. All partners receive their own Hub which all Network members can visit to learn about their services. There is no fee for organizational partners although we invite each partner to make an annual donation to Interwoven at a level of their choosing. If you would like your organization to be included as an organizational partner, let us know!
Network Membership at-a-Glance
Here's a recap of the membership options, benefits and investment costs:
Those Roots
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​What vital experiences from your personal life or from the life of your congregation in the quest of racial justice and healing might you share with others? How might your story encourage, help rededicate, comfort or challenge other people of faith who also seek to walk this road? And where are you parched? Where do you need to be watered and fed, built up and surrounded by others who believe in that vision of a Beloved Community, a society in which we are all enriched by the diversity that God blessed us with?
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Join us in the Interwoven Congregations Network, bring others, and let's go forward together.