The College for Congregational Development (CCD) is a nationwide program that equips lay leaders and clergy with skills and tools for their parish’s congregational and organizational development. The Diocese of Indianapolis hosted its first on-site CCD event in 2021 and has graduated 68 lay and clergy leaders in the past five years – if you haven’t yet attended, we would love for you to gather a team and be one of the next to participate and graduate!
This year, IndyDio will host its college at Waycross Camp and Conference Center on Sunday, July 26 – Friday, July 31, 2026. This year, we will cover the Year B curriculum; new participants, as well as those who have already completed Year A, are invited to attend. It is recommended to attend as part of a congregational team of three or more, though pairs and solo participants are still allowed. To register, click here; the registration will close on July 6, so sign up now!
FAQs
About the College
The goals of the College are:
- Healthy, faithful, sustainable churches living into their calling to be the Body of Christ.
- Congregations that are deeply grounded in their own Episcopal identity, in a way that fits with their context.
- Leaders who know the challenges and opportunities they face and are equipped to respond, both individually and together with their faith communities.
- A common language and culture of practice of congregational development throughout the Diocese of Indianapolis. Recognizing that this is possible for churches of all sizes, locations, and conditions.
- Connections among leaders within and between congregations that strengthen shared learning, encouragement, community, and inspiration.
The curriculum of CCD is focused primarily on congregational and organizational development tools and models. The program likens the models to lenses through which a congregational team can better examine the work and culture of their congregations.
It is through learning and practice with the models that participants can notice areas of strength and areas of improvement in the life of their church; these areas of interest are then used as the starting point for teams to develop their own congregational project (referred to as an ‘intervention’ in the program) that they will coordinate and oversee in their congregations in the months following their participation in the college.
The week of CCD is very full for participants. Each day begins with breakfast and morning prayer and ends in the evening with either Evening Prayer or Compline. The day is filled with programming in several contexts (see below) with some short intermittent break periods. There are some evenings in which programming continues after dinner, but there are also evenings in which participants have the evenings free to decompress and use as they wish.
Daily programming includes each of the learning contexts:
- Congregational Teams: In the second half of the college, congregational teams are given time to gather together to begin brainstorming and planning the project/intervention that they wish to conduct when they return to their congregation.
- Large Group Plenary: In these sessions with all participants, trainers will take turns providing instruction about congregational/organizational development, specific congregational models, and facilitation skills.
- Small Group Discussions and Case Studies: Participants will be assigned to a trainer and a small group, often composed of participants from multiple congregations. This small group will meet in its own space, during which participants will (a) examine case studies to which CCD models can be applied or (b) be tasked with a group activity or discussion prompt. At each small group meeting, one participant will be asked to facilitate and lead the group’s time together, allowing participants to gain practice with those skills, as well.
- One week of Year A CCD curriculum and one week of Year B CCD curriculum
- IndyDio offers one set curriculum each summer and alternates each year. This usually is scheduled to begin on a Sunday afternoon and conclude midday the following Friday.
- Most IndyDio participants attend two summers in a row at our CCD, but either year of curriculum can be completed at another diocese whenever it is offered.
- The time needed to complete your team’s congregational project/intervention
- This time commitment varies based on the nature of the project. For some, this time commitment is an hour after worship for a few weeks; for others, extended planning meetings or church events may require more time from team members
- Work on the following graduation requirements:
- A written report (~2 pages) about your congregational team’s project/intervention
- Completion of required reading outside of the summer college
- CCD Quarterly Check-In Zoom Calls (3 per year)
- IndyDio hosts regular calls through the year to check in with congregational teams and past participants to see how they are using the CCD models in their church life, revisit models learned in the college, build community and connection, and provide support to congregations determining what future projects/interventions might look like.
To officially graduate from the CCD program, participants must:
- Attend and participate in all sessions for both Year A and Year B of the college
- Successfully plan and implement a congregational project/intervention and submit a report to the diocese for review
- Complete the CCD required reading
- Show competency of the CCD models through the completion of a low-stakes CCD Models Exam. (The exam can be retaken as many times as needed until a passing score is achieved)
When you graduate from CCD, you are celebrated in a special dinner and ceremony on the last night of your second year of the college. You will receive a frameable certificate as proof of your graduation from the program.
Graduates are encouraged to:
- Share their CCD knowledge with others at their parish and encourage other church leaders to attend
- Continue attending the Quarterly CCD Zoom Check-Ins with the Diocese to share work in their congregations and stay connected to the CCD community
- Develop and implement new projects/interventions for their congregation using the models they have learned
Registration
Everyone! Rather than assuming leadership skills are for only clergy or lay leaders who embody specific church roles/governance, the program is built on a conviction that all people can become mature practitioners of congregational development. CCD teaches facilitation skills and tips for creating and maintaining healthy small groups to each person in attendance. It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned leader with a titled position or a new and rising leader in the congregation who is curious about how congregational development work could be implemented at their church – either way, this program is for you!
The college is intended to be done with a congregational team of three or more people. That said, there have been past participants who have come either by themselves or in a team of two. CCD founders feel strongly that the learning experience is more impactful when done collaboratively with others from your church, however this will not bar you from being able to attend.
No, it does not matter which year of the program you take first – for graduation from CCD, it only matters that both years of curriculum have been completed.
Year A introduces models and instruction that allow congregational teams to take a deeper look at the internal workings and culture of their church. Year B asks participants to use the models to look outwardly at their work and presence within the community that surrounds the church.
The Diocese of Indianapolis alternates which year of the program is offered. If those who need to complete their second year of programming are unable to attend the IndyDio offering, they may not wish to wait two years to complete their second year of CCD. CCD is also offered in the Diocese of Southern Ohio, the Diocese of Ohio, the Diocese of the Great Lakes, and the Diocese of Michigan, among others; IndyDio members are welcome to take either year of programming in a different diocese if that is desired or necessary due to schedule conflicts.
Cost is broken down based on what diocese you are from and whether you intend to room on your own or with someone else. A deposit of $100 is due at the time of registration in order to hold your spot. The remaining balance will be due a month ahead of the event.
CCD 2026 Prices:
- Participants from the Diocese of Indianapolis
- Single Occupancy Registration: $900
- Double Occupancy Registration: $800
- Participants from Outside the Diocese of Indianapolis
- Single Occupancy Registration: $1200
- Double Occupancy Registration: $950
If you are a member of a supported congregation in IndyDio, you are eligible to receive an 80% discount on the cost of registration. Please email Kelly Nickson to receive the discount code. The diocese does not want cost concerns to be a dealbreaker for congregations who would like to participate; in the past two years, over a third of participants have received some form of aid. If your congregation is interested in attending but can not afford the full cost of registration for participants, please reach out to Canon Giulianna Cappelletti Gray to discuss aid options.
Still have questions or want more information about the college? Please reach out to either Canon Giulianna Cappelletti Gray or Kelly Nickson.
