The Institute for Christian Conciliation, a division of Peacemaker Ministries, administers cases involving conflict coaching, mediation, arbitration, and organizational conflict intervention in accordance with the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation. For more information about the Christian Conciliation process, please see Frequently Asked Questions.
Step One: Scheduling an Intake Call
The Christian conciliation process starts with a brief intake call, intended to last no more than one-half hour. During this call a conflict coach will help you determine what level of assistance is appropriate at this point.
To arrange an intake call, please follow these steps:
- Read the material on this web site to familiarize yourself with our foundational peacemaking principles and procedures.
- Complete the online Request for Conciliation Assistance form.
- Read, complete, and sign an Interview Agreement (15 kb Adobe Acrobat file) to protect the confidentiality of our communications and to clarify expectations.
- Fax the completed and signed interview agreement to (406) 256-0001.
- Call (406) 256-1583 to schedule an intake call.
- Call (406) 256-1583 on the day and time of your scheduled intake appointment to speak with your assigned conflict coach.
Step Two: Opening a Case
To open a case with the Institute for Christian Conciliation serving as case administrator, please complete the following forms (all forms are in Adobe Acrobat format):
Please submit these required case forms, along with a check for the $200 nonrefundable filing fee, to:
Doreen Morton, Case Administrator
Institute for Christian Conciliation
P.O. Box 81130
Billings, MT 59108
Upon receipt of these forms, the ICC will contact your church to encourage them to support and take an active role in the peacemaking process. We will also mail the above forms and information to the other party. If the other party agrees to resolve this dispute through Christian conciliation, we will then provide each of you with the information you need to continue the conciliation process.
Case Administration and Conciliator Selection
What does a case administrator do?
The function of a case administrator is to provide or facilitate Christian conciliation under the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation and to carry out the responsibilities assigned to the Administrator under the Rules. These responsibilities include getting required paperwork to and from the parties, appointing conciliators, arranging and giving appropriate notice of the time, place and conditions of the initial meeting, and resolving other process issues and questions in accordance with the Rules.
Who can be a case administrator?
The parties may agree to use anyone they choose as case administrator. However, the Institute for Christian Conciliation is authorized by the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation to determine the administrator, if the parties are unable to agree on the mutual selection of an administrator within a reasonable period of time.
While in some conflict coaching and mediation cases, parties may choose to have the conciliator administer his or her own cases, it is usually wiser in mediation/arbitration or arbitration cases for the case administrator to be someone other than the individual(s) serving as arbitrator. The reason is that the functions of an administrator usually involve at least some instances of interaction with only one party at a time, and such contact with an arbitrator would violate the arbitration rule prohibiting parties from communicating with an arbitrator outside the presence of the other party.
Using the Institute for Christian Conciliation as case administrator
Many parties prefer to use the services of the Institute for Christian Conciliation (ICC) for case administration because of our significant experience. If the ICC accepts a case, the fee for our Case Manager's services is $75 per hour. The fee for administrative services provided by our senior staff is $200 per hour.
Transferring a case to a local case administrator
Administration of an open case may be transferred to a local case administrator, if such transfer is deemed appropriate by the Institute for Christian Conciliation.
Selecting a mediator
Your case administrator will nominate a panel of one or more mediators for the parties' approval. If the parties are unable to agree on a mediator after a reasonable effort to propose suitable mediators, the administrator has authority under the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation to approve the mediator(s).
Selecting an arbitrator
Your case administrator will nominate a panel of one or more arbitrators for the parties' approval. If the parties are unable to agree on an arbitrator after a reasonable effort to propose suitable arbitrators, the administrator has authority under the Rules of Procedure for Christian Conciliation to approve the arbitrator(s).
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