Considering Faith
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About Primary Host, Rev. Peg Chemberlin
Called to the post of Executive Director of the Minnesota Council of Churches in May, 1995, Rev. Peg Chemberlin leads the organization’s efforts to manifest the unity of the Body of Christ and to build the common good in the world. The council is considered one of the premier state council of churches on the country. Under Chemberlin’s leadership the council has: galvanized the relationships of it constituent members, become a predominate actor for the faith community in other sectors, brought policies, practices, communications, information technologies into 21st century, and grown significantly, increasing its budget from $600,000 to $2.7 million.
The council is constituted by twenty Christian denominational members, linking more than 1.1 million Christians in Minnesota or 23% of the state’s population. The council has grown by two new constituent members under Chemberlin’s leadership. The commitment from top leadership has been secured and the governance structure has been renewed so that the council is now led by the bishops and executives of the each member denomination.
The council has perhaps the broadest set of inter-religious relationships in the state of Minnesota and is regularly seen as the “go to” organization in the state for broad faith engagement. One of the best illustrations of this role of the council came on Sept. 12, 2001 when the governor’s office called the MCC to gather the broadest group of faith leaders possible to lead in the memorial service held at the capitol. More than 30,000 Minnesotans were in attendance and the service was carried on all of Minnesota’s television stations.
Under Chemberlin’s leadership an organizational culture of collaboration and relationship based programming has been established. The council is known as a team player with other organizations and for it’s breadth of relation ships in many sectors.
The Council owns and operates the Minnesota Church Center, a six story, $7 million building housing 28 tenant organizations from the faith community. The Center is the largest faith-based ecumenical center in the state. The center functions as a community gathering place, as an ecumenical witness, and as an incubator for new ministries providing low-cost rent, services, and meeting space.
Background
Chemberlin was director of Minnesota FoodShare from 1988 to 1995. During her tenure there, Chemberlin directed statewide campaigns resulting in the collection of 32 million pounds of food. She directed FoodShare's media, public policy, and community organizing efforts aimed at long-term solutions to hunger, and served as an advocate for the hungry and spokesperson for the religious community's response to their need.
Chemberlin received her undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, graduating with honors. She graduated from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities in 1982, where she was awarded the academic prize for historical theology. Chemberlin was ordained a deacon in the Moravian Church in 1982, and consecrated a presbyter in 1986. She also holds dual standing with the United Church of Christ, Minnesota Annual Conference.
A recipient of Minnesota Governor Arne Carlson's award for Women of Excellence in 1994, Chemberlin was recognized for extraordinary personal achievement, for support of others in their pursuit of excellence, and for on-going contributions to the State of Minnesota.
She also received the NOVA (Non-Violent Alternatives) Peace and Justice Award, presented at St. Cloud State University in 1985 for special programs she helped introduce which looked at alternatives to violence, ranging from campus sexual assault and domestic abuse to global issues and nuclear proliferation. Those programs continue on the St. Cloud State University campus to this day.
She is the recipient of the Angel of Reconciliation award, from Unity Baptist Church, St. Paul, Minnesota, in 2003. And in 2003 was the Honorary Chair of the statewide Minnesota FoodShare Campaign.
Chemberlin represents the Moravian Church in America-North, at the National Council of Churches of Christ (NCCC) General Assembly, chairs the NCCC Ecumenical Networks Standing Committee, and sits on the NCCC Governing Board, NCCC Justice and Advocacy Commission, and NCCC Racial Justice Committee.
She is active in the National Association of Ecumenical and Inter-religious Staff, where she has served as president and national program chair.
Her past professional experience includes: director of campus ministries; elementary, junior high and college teaching; seminary teaching assistant; youth minister, outreach minister and parish intern pastor.
Some of her publications include:
“Headlines of An Ecumenical Future,” A Tapestry of Justice, Service, and Unity, 2003
“Expressions of Ecumenism - Congregations on an Ecumenical Journey,” The Moravian, January/February 2004, page 21
“Housekeeper and Holy Nag,” TMDK – Transatlantic Moravian Dialogue Correspondence, March 1999, page 63
“Crossing Boundaries for the Common Good,” Sojourners, 1997
“Escape from Patriarchy,” Remembering and Re-Imagining, 1995, page 56
Upcoming and Recent presentations and conference leadership include:
“In Communion with the Holy Spirit: the Great Moral Imperative of the Common Good”, Texas Conference of Churches Annual meeting, keynote address, Feb. 20, 2006
“Organizing Relationships into a Leadership Base,” National Association of Ecumenical and Interfaith Staff, Indianapolis, IN, Jul 2005
“On the Trail of the Black Madonna”, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, 2005-2006
Holy Week Retreat, Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, 1992 – Present
National Council of Churches of Christ: “Living Faithfully in a Pluralistic Age”, 2002 – 2003, in Seattle, Orlando, and Minneapolis
“When Mary Was Black,” The Three Faces of Mary, College of St. Catherine, Wisdom Ways Center for Spirituality, June 2003
“The Black Madonna”, Re-Imagining Conference, St. Paul, 2003
“The Advent Antidote: When Good Work Becomes Toxic,” Washington National Cathedral, Washington DC, December 8, 2002
“This is an Unprecedented Diversity,” Minnesota State Capitol, September 16, 2001, “Minnesota Remembers”
“The Ecumenical Worldview,” Responder to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Mpls, May 2001
Chemberlin is a nationally known retreat leader, with special focus on interfaith relations. the images of Tree of Life, The Black Madonna, and pilgrimage. She has consulted on organizational development for conciliar organizations.
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