ACPE and USDE News

Dear ACPE Members:

I pray you are truly well. I am grateful we have reached this point in the year when we can hopefully shift our focus to rest and recovery, even if only for a little while. 2024 has felt like multiple years in one, with each month bringing its own unique mountain to climb. Our souls need and welcome rest.

In October, while sheltering from Hurricane Milton, my former Educator, Stephenie Maddox Hill, shared the following prayer on social media.

Loving God,

Your people have been through a lot these past few weeks.

There has been dread…

Anxiety…

Fear…

Guilt…

Sadness...

Helplessness…

Despair…

And every other emotion in between.

Even as we are in the recovery period, there is much worry and unknown.

There is much grief over what was lost.

And much sadness over what will never be the same.

With gratitude, we thank you for the preservation of life.

We thank you for making it possible for each of us to see a new day.

Even in the suffering…

Even in the unknown…

Even in the rebuilding…

We know that you are there.

You are the gentle light in the night.

You are the friend opening their home…

The neighbor lending a hand…

The electric person restoring power…

Continue to be a rock and a refuge.

When everything else in the world seems fragile and broken…

Continue to be our firm foundation and that which is eternal.

We love you God and worship you.

This day and always.

Amen.

Revisiting her words today evokes the same response as they did two months ago – tears. Her prayer touches every fiber of what many have been journeying through this year. We have had to dig deep to steady ourselves repeatedly. I am grateful the reservoir of faith we each maintain, while possibly running low, has not run dry.

As we move into the final weeks, ACPE will manage and maintain its energy by focusing on key strategic priorities, including implementing elements of our strategic plan related to the national office and our work regarding USDE recognition.

  • USDE Next Steps/Updates:
    • ACPE has received the informal USDE summary which is currently with the Board of Directors and Accreditation Commission. ACPE members will receive insights from the feedback with accompanying details from the Accreditation Commission during the first weeks of December.
    • Finalizing the USDE Task Force to have the group in place to begin work by January 2025 will be a main priority these next few weeks. Recommendations for this body are invited. Please email lynnett.glass@acpe.edu to share your suggestions.
    • You may visit the USDE Hub in SharePoint to access communication tools, including the first round of FAQs and ACPE’s letter to share with your administration.
    • Our next town hall will be in December. The date will be shared soon.
  • Strategic Plan:
    • The Board of Directors approved the 2025 budget. A modest 7% year-over-year increase was necessary to allow for investment in technology upgrades across the association and additional staff for the national office.
    • Job announcements will begin posting in late December/early January. This includes adding a role for an Educator to our team.
  • 2025 Conference:
    • Planning is well underway, and registration will open soon! We’re looking forward to a meaningful time in Minneapolis next May!

In this week of high thanks, I want to extend my appreciation to all of you who have welcomed me with open arms and warm smiles, kind words, and generous counsel. I especially want to thank the staff and passionate groups of volunteers who drive so much of our work. The focused and intense commitment emanating from the Board and every commission, committee, task force, and COP can rival any winning college football team! Thanks for all you do, all you have done, and all we will do together.

Finally, a huge kudos goes out to our psychotherapy colleagues who have recently published a new article in the Journal of Faith Integration in Counseling, lifting up ACPE’s Spiritually Integrated Psychotherapy training program. Thank you for this work, and congratulations!

As we enter what is often the heaviest season for our brand of ministry, may you find peace, joy, and soul-sustaining nourishment in the days and weeks ahead.

Blessings.