Dear ICS Supporters:

In this season of Advent, we wait and watch for the birth of the One who will delight and surprise us—challenge and change us.

At ICS, we live out the joy and challenges of Christ’s call to engage the world in faith and in love. Our faculty and students are immersed in critical issues shaping our world today—issues of peace, social justice, human rights and ecological sustainability.

These discussions begin in our classrooms. But they don’t stay there! Extraordinary things happen beyond the classroom, due in no small measure to your loyal support: you are a major part of the changes that happen through the work of our graduates who provide leadership across the globe—in universities, churches and social agencies. Together with our faculty, they are creating opportunities for people of all faith traditions to ask deep questions and discuss what is important in our lives and our world.

Thank you for making all of this work possible. Please consider renewing your support today.

Daniel Napier goes beyond the ICS classroom and into the Croatian community.

"ICS taught me to listen and converse — to entrust myself before God to a dialogue the product of which I could not control."

Read Daniel’s story >>

Joshua Lie is engaging people in Canada and Indonesia in dialogue and learning that will bring peace and love to all of God’s people.

"At this time of great transition in Indonesia, we cannot rely on doctrine alone."

Read Joshua’s story >>

Our annual appeal allows ICS to continue to create a rich and nurturing learning experience for our students, allowing them to develop their own scholarship and gifts for use in the wider world. Donations from donors like you help to fund our academic programs and general operations. Each of our students invests about $7,650.00/year in their program, and we depend on your support to complement this.

We thank you for your generous support of our work over the years. Would you please continue that generosity and make your gift today?

With your support, ICS will be able to continue our public outreach through lectures, conferences and workshops across North America and beyond. Our faculty and students are helping individuals to examine the deeper concerns of justice, faith and community—to explore how faith can be a source of hospitality rather than hostility. ICS is promoting a faith that opens a space for meaningful conversation between religious and secular people to bring about communication and acceptance within the context of difference.

Your generosity will also help us to realize the potential of our newly launched Centre for Philosophy, Religion and Social Ethics, making a home for innovative and collaborative research projects. This is a significant venture for ICS. Again, your encouragement and support was an inspiration to all of the ICS community as they worked to establish the Centre.

Your support is vital. Every donation counts and will help us to achieve the year-end Advent Campaign’s goal of $75,000.

May Advent and Christmas bring you joy—and renew our shared commitment to Christ’s work in the world.

Sincerely

Chris Gort, President

PS: If you work for a company that matches gifts to higher education, please remember to send us your company’s form. That will mean even more dollars to help ICS carry out its mission! For more information about matching gifts please contact us. Thank you.

PPS: All gifts postmarked on or before December 31, 2011 will be eligible for a 2011 charitable tax receipt.