Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to what people usually ask before reaching out, organized by program and by who's asking.
General
- What is Accents?
- Accents Ministries is a ministry of connection, equipping, and support for immigrant and intercultural leaders.
- Who can participate in Accents' programs?
- Pastors, lay leaders, leaders of new worshiping communities, and allies serving in intercultural contexts.
- What languages does Accents work in?
- Primarily English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean, along with other languages represented across our network.
- Is there a cost to participate?
- Some gatherings carry a registration fee, but scholarships and additional support are frequently available to make participation more accessible.
- How can I connect with other immigrant leaders?
- Through our gatherings, trainings, networking groups, and online meetups.
- Does Accents offer training beyond these four programs?
- Yes. Beyond the four pathways above, we offer additional training, workshops, resources, and intercultural learning opportunities as they come up across our network.
Leadership Coaching
Full page →- Does Accents offer coaching or mentoring?
- Yes. We connect leaders with coaches, mentors, and ministry development opportunities suited to where they serve.
- Is coaching right for someone like me, even if my English isn't perfect or my ministry experience looks different?
- Yes. Coaching is available in multiple languages, and coaches are trained to value the full range of ministry experience leaders bring, not just experience that fits a familiar mold.
Pathways to Belonging
Full page →- Do I need to be part of the PC(USA) to participate?
- No. While Accents partners closely with the PC(USA), many of our resources and gatherings are relevant to leaders across different denominations and contexts.
- Does my congregation have to give up its own traditions or language to participate?
- No. Pathways to Belonging is built on the conviction that immigrant congregations are welcomed as full partners, with their traditions, language, and identity intact, not assimilated into someone else's.
Friends on the Journey
Full page →- What happens at a Friends on the Journey gathering?
- It's a space for connection, encouragement, learning, and renewal for immigrant and intercultural leaders.
- Do I need to be a PC(USA) leader to attend a Friends on the Journey gathering?
- No. While Accents partners closely with the PC(USA), Friends on the Journey welcomes immigrant and intercultural leaders across denominations and contexts.
Inspire
Full page →- How can my church or presbytery work with Accents?
- We help churches, presbyteries, and new worshiping communities build stronger, more effective relationships with intercultural leaders and communities.
- Does my congregation need denominational approval to host or attend an Inspire gathering?
- No formal approval is required to attend. Congregations interested in hosting a gathering can reach out to Accents directly to talk through what that would involve.
Getting Involved
- Is Accents for someone like me, even if my English is imperfect or my ministry looks different from what a denomination expects?
- Yes. Accents works in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Korean, and coaches are trained to value the full range of ministry experience leaders bring, not just experience that fits a familiar mold.
- How can my congregation partner with an immigrant community without doing harm?
- Start by listening before offering solutions, and by expecting to receive as much as you give. Pathways to Belonging and Inspire are both built around that same premise: partnership as a two-way relationship, not one-way outreach.
- How can a presbytery or synod work with Accents?
- Reach out directly. Accents already partners with mid councils including the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, the Presbytery of San Francisco, and the Synod of the Covenant, on coaching, training, and gathering support.
Still Have Questions?
Ask us directly.
Every leader's context is different. Reach out and our team will help you find the right pathway.