Participants in this course will develop an understanding of spiritual writing as a personal practice of discernment and as a corporate practice of giving voice to the word by sharing our work in community; practice giving and receiving editorial feedback within a community as they develop their unique voice, and be introduced to the many possible ways to share their writing, in congregations, in writers’ groups and in publication online or in print.
Using the book by Woody Jenkins by the same title, this course will focus on helping clergy and laypersons explore the challenges of pastoral leadership in a dying congregation. In this four-week course participants will gain insight and wisdom through readings, case studies, dialogue, and reflection on practice participants on leading a congregation during the twilight phase of its natural lifecycle. Author and instructor Jenkins will share his own wisdom gained from his own personal experience and journey in leading a congregation through its last stage of ministry.
This five week online course examines issues and challenges of ministering with and to LBTQIA youth and their families. Participants will explore ways to minister and help LBTQIA youth and their families, as well as gain insights in helping congregations address ministry to LBTQIA youth.
This course is a study of the often unseen congregational dynamics the affect the life of a congregation. Special attention will be given to the nature of congregations as a particular model of the Church. By reading the course textbook, The Hidden Lives of Congregations by Israel Galindo, participating in guided discussions, reflecting on your personal experience, and examining latent concepts and assumptions about congregations, Church, and leadership, you will gain a new understanding of your congregation and your leadership roles.
- Instructor: Galindo Israel
Oriented from a systems theory perspective, we will address the matter of money and ministry rarely touched upon: coming to terms with one’s relationship with money and how that impacts the approach to stewardship in our ministry contexts.
This course will raise generative questions that will help you clarify how your relationship with money influences the capacity to provide leadership for the congregation, whether you are pastor or lay leader. The course’s premise is “right on the money:” until congregational leaders resolve their personal issues about money, no amount of fiduciary expertise will have lasting impact on the church’s issues about stewardship.
- Instructor: Marcuson Margaret