Dear Fellow Christian in Social Work, 

• How does your Christian faith relate to your practice as a social worker? 
• Do you sometimes feel alone or isolated as a Christian in social work? 
• Do you believe a Christian perspective is having a vital impact on the social work profession? 
• Is the faith community adequately equipped to help meet the social welfare needs of people both within and outside of its communities of faith? 

If you believe these questions are truly important, there is a place for you.  I invite you to become a member of the North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW) - "A Vital Christian Presence in Social Work."

The time is ripe for Christians in social work to join together, perhaps more so now than any other time in the past few decades. Clearly within the social work profession, there is a growing acknowledgment of the importance of spirituality in the lives of clients. Christians in social work need to work together to provide leadership and direction in response to this unique opportunity in our profession. 

For 60 years, NACSW ha been about the work of equipping it member to ethically integrate Christian faith and professional social work practice. 

• A free subscription to NACSW's bimonthly newsletter, Catalyst, as well as a free subscription to NACSW's refereed journal, Social Work and Christianity
• Sponsorship of training workshops and conferences - our next annual convention will be in the fall.
• NACSW's JobNet Career Center with free access to job postings, and eligibility to post job ads and no-cost resumes on the Internet
• Quarterly audio conference workshops that member can participate in by calling in from any telephone - with registration and CEUs now available to NACSW members at no cost!
• Access to a new podcast (downloadable mp3 audio file) each month at no cost from NACSW's website - each podcat features an NACSW presentation focused on the integration of faith and practice
• Local chapters and fellowship groups, as well as member interest groups for members with shared interests, experiences, and training/skills
• A 20% discount on a growing number of books and other publications
• NACSW's on-line membership directory, which also provides contact information of over 6,000 Christian social service organizations and church social ministries
• Because NACSW has been approved as a continuing education provider by the Association of Social Work Boards, members are able to earn continuing education contact hours via NACSW's conventions, conferences, home study program, audio conference workshops, etc.
• Access to NACSW's on-line bibliography, as well as a members-only section with on-line copies of NACSW's newsletter, journal, and other valuable membership materials
• Professional liability insurance coverage (for both individuals and organizations)
• Participation in one of NACSW's Internet listservs or facilitating on-line discussions with colleagues
• Links to other outstanding Christian social service organizations, programs, and ministries, and partnership with other leading Christian organizations through Word and Deed Network
• A growing Christian presence and a faithful voice within the social work profession
• Reduced subscriptions to ESA's premier magazine, Prism, and three Taylor and Francis journals  
• Joint membership program with the Christian Association of Psychological Studies
• And much more!

NACSW's basic membership dues for 2011 are $90 annually, or $28 for fulltime students (please note that students paying at this significantly reduced rate will be asked to access their copies of the NACSW newsletter and journal via the Internet in lieu of receiving printed copies). However, if you join NACSW now in our basic rate category and pay for your membership dues on-line, the cost for your first year of membership will be only $78, a savings of 15% or $12. There are similar savings for joining NACSW on-line if you wish to select our two-year basic rate, or if you recently graduated.

As someone who has visited NACSW's website, you likely have an active interest in both Christianity and social work.  I encourage you to become a member of NACSW today and work "shoulder to shoulder" with other Christians to more richly integrate Christian faith and social work practice. 

Peace, 

Rick Chamiec-Case, Ph.D., MSW, MAR 
Executive Director