Churches in Communities International (CIC), also known as CIC International[1], is a UK-based accreditation and accountability charity[1][2] for independent evangelical churches, chaplains and ministries. CIC’s membership is predominantly, through not exclusively, from Pentecostal and Charismatic backgrounds.[3] CIC is a member denomination of the Free Churches Group[4], Churches Together in England[5] and a member organisation of the Evangelical Alliance.[6] Their headquarters are based in Bromley, South East London.[5][7] Churches in Communites International describes itself as a ‘member-led organisation’[8] which adpots a congregationalist polity rather than a hierarchical system of leadership often associated with the British New Church Movement.[9]
History
Churches in Communities International (CIC) was founded by Rev. Dr Hugh Osgood in Bromley, South East London in 1997. The forming of CIC was said to be in response to independent ministers seeking formal accountability, safeguards and ministerial accreditation without joining the historic denominations.[8] On the 16 November 2010, CIC International was registered as a charitable company with the Charity Commission for England and Wales. On the 3 March 2023, CIC was registered as a charity by the Scottish Charity Regulator.[10]
Churches in Communities International had 180 member ministers by the end of 2017. As well as being an endorsing authority for the Royal Army Chaplains' Department[11][12] and other branches of the UK armed forces[13][14], CIC has chaplains in HM Prison Service and the National Health Service. The Rev. Jonathan Woodhouse, Convenor of the United Navy, Army and Air Force Board, said in 2015, “it was a ground-breaking decision for Armed Forces Chaplaincy to approve the application of CIC International to become the equivalent of a UK Sending Church allowing suitably called and qualified ministers to bring their gifts and skills to the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force as Chaplains”.[15]
In their annual members meeting report for 2022, CIC is said to endorse 117 member churches, 86 chaplains and 316 ministers throughout the United Kingdom.[16]
References
- ^ a b "CHURCHES IN COMMUNITIES INTERNATIONAL - Charity 1139043". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "What we do". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Member Churches of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland". ctbi.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Directory". Free Churches Group. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ a b "Member Church Directory". Churches Together in England. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Find an organisation". Evangelical Alliance. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "CHURCHES IN COMMUNITIES INTERNATIONAL - Charity 1139043". register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ a b "History". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ Scott, Benjamin G. McNair (25 December 2014). Apostles Today: Making Sense of Contemporary Christian Apostolates: A Historical and Theological Appraisal. The Lutterworth Press. p. 50. ISBN 9780718893552..
{{cite book}}: Check|isbn=value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ "OSCR | Charity Details". www.oscr.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ https://www.army.mod.uk/who-we-are/corps-regiments-and-units/royal-army-chaplains-department/
- ^ "Chaplaincies". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Welcome - United Navy, Army and Air Force Board". www.unitedboard.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Spotlight on Armed Forces Chaplaincy". CiC International. 2021-10-07. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ "Chaplaincies". CiC International. Retrieved 2024-03-17.
- ^ https://static1.squarespace.com/static/595b5e8a8419c2e81ee4a3a5/t/638900a34375fd068501ebce/1669923009243/CiC+AMM+2022.pdf