ACCM was formed in 1995 to provide for connections among ecumenical, interfaith, denominational and local church based campus ministry. The ministries so connected are Protestant Christian, progressive and ecumenical. A desire for social justice and a concern for life–long spirituality are shared values among the ministry members.
ACCM has roots in former campus ministry organizations. Until the late 1950’s these organizations were usually based in denominations: Westminster Foundation (Presbyterian), Wesley Foundation (United Methodist), Canterbury (Episcopal), for example. By the turn of the decade, there was a growing movement to shared ecumenical ministry on many campuses across the United States, with denominations continuing to provide funding.
First United Ministries in Higher Education (UMHE), then, in the Bay Area, Cooperative Ministries in Higher Education (CMHE), were successive umbrella groups over these ministries. But as denominations saw decreasing membership, and consequent loss of income, campus ministry also saw a continuous decrease in denominational funding, until, in the early 1990’s national denominational funding disappeared. Since CMHE’s prime purpose was as a conduit of denominational funding and oversight, it came to an end as an organization.
ACCM grew from that ending as a means of continuing connections among ministries. These are its formal purposes:
- To provide an arena for ecumenical campus ministry connection and discussion
- To advocate for and support involvement in campus ministry
- To facilitate sharing and meeting
- To provide workshops, forums, etc. for ministries, using task groups
- To provide a forum for campus ministry staff working on behalf of ecumenical, denominational, and local church based campus ministries
- To support developing ministries and experimentation
ACCM meets a minimum of once a year, more often as meetings can be arranged. The group has held overnight summer retreats as a means of providing spiritual nurture to ministry staff and board members.
ACCM is an IRS recognized 501c3 organization. Its officers are
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Barry Cavaghan (Sacramento), President
Alice Thorn (San Jose), Secretary and
Trilla Jentzsch (San Francisco), Treasurer.