New Assets for Educating Congregational Leaders
Alban Weekly feature article, March 17, 2008
Wayne Whitson Floyd, Education Department Manager
Depending on whom you ask, continuing-education for ministry is either flourishing, with assets that have never existed before, or struggling to survive.
Troubling symptoms include increasing costs amidst anecdotal reports of decreasing support for staff and programs sponsored both by seminaries and by national as well as regional denominational structures. Among mainline Protestant denominations, for example, only the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America any longer has a full-time national staff member focusing on lifelong learning and vocational education.
This, however, is clearly not the whole story, for there are sure signs of an ever-widening array of continuing-education programs, on-site and online, designed to nourish the intellect, cultivate the gifts of the spirit, and sustain the traditions of faith communities of shared memory and practice.
Robust continuing-education opportunities can be found through a growing number of seminary- or judicatory-based programs. Presbyterian (PCUSA) contributions include the Center for Ministry and Leadership Development at Union Theological Seminary (Richmond) and the Center for Church Life at Auburn Theological Seminary. Episcopal Church offerings exist in judicatory programs such as the one in the Diocese of Western North Carolina or the Lifetime Theological Education program at Virginia Theological Seminary. Programs at traditionally United Methodist affiliated seminaries include the Lifelong Learning Center center at Duke Divinity School, the Iliff Institute for Lay and Clergy Continuing Education, or Wesley Seminary’s Lewis Center for Church Leadership.
Recently, a number of initiatives in continuing-education have focused on the first years of ordained parish ministry, such as the ELCA’s “First Call” program and the “Transition-into-Ministry” programs supported by Lilly Endowment, Inc. Other programs have focused on the difficulties over time of “Sustaining Pastoral Excellence,” another program of Lilly Endowment Inc., or holistic clergy-wellness programs such as the Episcopal Church’s CREDO Institute. Still others have addressed the needs of particular demographic groups, such as Emory University’s program through Candler School of Theology, “Covenant Colleagues A Continuing Education Program for Clergywomen” during their first ten years of ministry.
The number of online possibilities for continuing-education for congregational leaders also has grown exponentially in just the past three to five years, as can be seen on the Web site of the Association for Theological Schools; in the Bakers Guide to Christian Distance Education (Jason Baker, Regent University); and in the Wabash Center’s Internet Guide to Religion (Wabash College). These tend to augment, rather than replace, on-site learning, yet do not merely replicate what can be taught in a classroom but rather allow new forms of interactive learning with resources accessible only electronically.
Innovative examples include Fidelia’s Sisters, an online resource “by, for, and about young clergy women”; The Episcopal Church’s Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific or the online offerings of the Episcopal Theological Seminary of the Southwest; and ELCA sites such as Luther Seminary’s online learning options or the offerings of The Fisher’s Net. From an evangelical, multidenominational perspective there is Fuller Theological Seminary’s Distance Learning program. Presbyterians (PCUSA) should look at University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. Or from a progressive ecumenical perspective one can explore Hartford Theological Seminary’s Distance Education program.
Here at the Alban Institute, we are building on almost thirty-five years of experience with continuing-education. Each year Alban Learning provides twenty to thirty national seminars led by our senior consultants on topics ranging from conflict resolution to balancing life and ministry; from supervision of staff teams to becoming a praying congregation; from congregational governance to narrative leadership; from size transitions in parishes to budgets and financial planning. We also provide a wide range of custom-designed educational services: workshops for clergy arranged in cooperation with judicatories, keynote addresses, event facilitators for conferences, and co-sponsored events with partnering organizations such as the Lake Junaluska Conference Center.
This week Alban has launched our latest online venture in support of continuing-education for congregational leaders, AlbanLearning.Org, which joins the well-established Congregational Resource Guide, also hosted by Alban, and our two most recent entries into the virtual world, podcasts and webinars. With AlbanLearning.Org we want to do three things:
- First, we want to communicate better with you, the people who attend our events, read our books, and take advantage of the wide range of resources available on our Web site, www.Alban.org. Through the use of the “comments” feature on the blog, we invite you to interact with us so that we can learn how better to serve your needs as congregational leaders.
- Second, we intend to develop a portal where you want to come to find not just what the Alban Institute is doing in continuing-education, but the best of what others are offering as well. There are some excellent sites already online, like Faith and Wisdom, with which you can locate many lifelong-learning opportunities available nationwide. Let AlbanLearning.Org become the place you go to find out about such resources and to let others find you and the work that you are doing.
- Third, we want to respond to a still-unfulfilled universal need for connection and networking among providers and participants in continuing-education for clergy and laity. There are organizations already in place that also are concerned with this, such as the Society for the Advancement for Continuing Education in Ministry (SACEM). Through Alban’s emerging collaboration with FaithStreams Network, we intend to let you know through AlbanLearning.Org how to make more creative use of existing resources and then how to connect with one another in peer-conversations about them.
We invite you to join us online or on-site for our educational events, to network with one another about the exciting and significant work many of you already have underway, and then to talk with us about it on AlbanLearning.Org. Happy blogging!
Wayne Whitson Floyd
Education Program Manager
The Alban Institute
This article is a great collation of continuing education opportunities for clergy in the USA. I like the nuanced way that it speaks of the apparent paradox of dwindling resources yet proliferating opportunities - a worldwide phenomenon. Of course, there are people all around the world beavering away at this enterprise. I am one of two full-time Cont Ed staff in the Uniting Church in Australia (although the only one in my Synod/state). We rely heavily on the Alban Inst for resources, especially in presenting Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry and Intentional Interim Ministry training. My School of Continuing Education is the national provider for this training for the Uniting Church in Australia. If anyone wants to come “down-under” for a different learning experience, then look me up!
Rob - Thanks for your note - a reminder of the international reach of our Alban resources! I’ll post a link to your site under Educational Organizations.
My best - Wayne
This topic is a key positive tipping point for the future of the church. I value Alban working in this arena.
Bill Walker
Conference Lay Leader,
Florida Conf, UMC
I applaud the intent of this posting and pray that it will attract the attention of many congregational leaders.
In the 2007 winter issue of the University of Wisconsin alumni magazine, “On Wisconsin,” an aticle featuring the projections of a number of Badger futurists talked about the warp speed rate of change going on in all areas of life and geography.
One particular and sobering projection named 2035 as the year when computer intelligence would match human intelligence; and that by 2049 $1000 computers would be available that would have the intelligence of everyone on the planet.
Futurist David Zach said, “We live in an age where anything is possible, but that’s scary, because not all things should be possible.”
Bill Draves added that “in the twenty years between 2000 and 2020, some 75% of our lives will have changed dramatically.”
The article’s bottom line: “he who learns last, gets left.”
Continuing ed is becoming an essential asset for future vocational wellness.
I am a congregational coach in the Anglican Diocese of Huron. I am only six months into this new ministry in a diocese of some 250 congregations and I am finding a great hunger for practical wisdom, perception awareness and ministry skills development.
I am finding a huge need for congregational leaders to discern their unigue and compelling VIP (values, identity and purpose). We have not done this well in the past. Most congregational mission/vision staements are boring and generic creedal statements that live on the front of Sunday bulletins. They are by an large an overnight creation done years ago at a gathering of congregational leaders. They are often not remembered and usually conribute nothing to the vitality and purposefullness of the congregation.
Focusing on and fussing about consumer values, rather then “Kingdom” values drags our congregations into survival mode mind sets.
Most of the 45 or so congregations that I am already working with really want to understand transformational process. They know the picture they need to see is bigger then the one they’ve had in the past.
“Homework” and continuing education is key to the ministry of congregational coaching.
In my next month’s “Connecting…” article to the clergy and lay leaders of the diocese, I will be recommending the “Alban Learning” website and blogg.
Thank you for initiating this conversation.
Ed Leidel
Congregational coach
Diocese of huron
http://smallchurchcoach.com
Dear Bishop Leidel - Thanks for helping to get the word out to your churches about AlbanLearning.Org. We hope it will be another way to connect them with our growing resources for congregational leaders. You’ve also inspired me to add a Small Church Resources category to the site-links in the right margin.
My best - Wayne
What about continue education to open doors of the congregation to people with disabilities and their gift to the community.
Thomas Aquinas said, “Any error about Creation also leads to an error about God.” From this it follows that those who speak about and for God ought to have an education practically rooted in the direct experience of Creation. Yet, in the Church, continuing education for clergy overwhelmingly takes place indoors (as even the picture at the top of this blog shows). Being so thoroughly removed from Creation risks being in error about it. On the cutting edge of clergy continuing education are programs such as HOPE CSA in Indiana, which ask clergy to sign up for an year of study, spending a full day each month in the setting of a small family farm. For the keepers of flocks to have direct experience of animal flocks in nature is to offer a “different mind” about their work, a mind that may be less prone to “error.”
Wayne,
Thanks for this information. There are so many more resources than i realized. Thanks for holding the BIG PICTURE for us. I will pass this on to others.
Jim
Amen to all the above, Wayne! We at The LOGOS Ministry are furiously seeking more and better ways to train leaders in the field of Christian Education. We know there is a need…particularly in the smaller churches where there are often not paid children’s ministry staff on board. For 40+ years LOGOS has been passionate about equipping folks in effective ministry with young people. Just last fall we introduced something new…our webinars…on-line versions of our in-person workshops on various topics. We’re committed to expanding training offerings beyond churches using the LOGOS ministry model. We’re hoping to also help churches in a broader sense by offering webinars on discipline, how to call people into serving (rather than recruit), and effective ways to teach the Bible (regardless of the model that delivers the class).
We also know that organizations like LOGOS and Alban can benefit from working with the local denominational jurisdictions. We don’t want to compete with what the denomination is offering but work along side to support and equip the local churches! And we believe so firmly in this partnership that we’re offering our “Children’s Ministry Effectiveness Model” in-person workshop through the local denominations. They supply the meeting area and gather the people together and we’ll bring the teaching. Well…we’ll even bring lunch! We’ve also gone so far as to post our webcast version of this model on our website…for free. It’s critical to partner with one another in disciple building and we’re always on the look-out for better ways to do so. We’re podcasting, blogging and updating our website constantly to help the local churches.
I also couldn’t agree more about the need to network amongst each other!
I have always had a high respect for Alban and its resources and have used many of the books in leadership capacity in my own church where I volunteer. It’s exciting to see such like-mindedness in organizations with a mission to support church leaders.
Thank you so much for this timely piece. As a PC(USA) resource center director and certified Christian educator (and longtime Alban member), I also work with the Committee on Preparation for Ministry and am always on the lookout for information about quality continuing education opportunities, including distance learning offerings. Thanks for bringing this information and the links together in one accessible place.
Dear SarahLee -
It’s good to make a connection with you and your Presbytery. Alban Learning partners with many judicatories to bring custom designed educational programs to specific audiences. Please let us know if we can be of assistance to you or other Presbyteries in your region.
My best - Wayne
Will you include “job opportunities posting” for those who seek employment in ministerial positions? Today, too many ordained folk do not have adequate resources to help them find ministerial positions locally, statewide or nationally. An acute need exists now to provide up-to-date listings of “job opportunities” for clergy and layleaders! What is this possibility?
Thanks very much to Wayne for this overview of what’s happening in the area of lifelong learning for leaders. It certainly points to how resource-rich we are, as well as to the creative experiments in lifelong learning that are going on in many different settings.
Dick Bruesehoff
Your article fails to mention ecumenical continuing ed. for clergy and laity, such as Capital Region Theological Center, based in Albany, NY. We began as an expression of the Formula of Agreement but are about to add three other denominations, and have served people from a dozen or more. Supported by a Lilly grant and tuition and local giving, we offer more than 20 courses a year for lay ministry core courses and for continuing ed for everyone. See our web site at capitalrtc.org for more.
Marian Shearer, Regional Minister, United Church of Christ; CRTC board of directors.
Dear Marian -
How right you are! And especially embarrassing since Alban is decidedly ecumenical and interfaith in our work with congregations. I’ve added a link to your program in particular, as well as a general category of Ecumenical Resources for future site-links I discover. Thanks for pointing out this omission; it’s just the sort of constructive conversation that helps us grow.
My best - Wayne
I am pleased to see the growing interest in continuing education. I am writing as a member and Past President of the Association of Anglican Musicians, a group that has been addressing this important issue in a number of ways, and we would enjoy hearing more about similar programs in other denominations.
A new program (the AAM Mentor Program) has been launched this year to address the need for support for Parish Musicians who are new to the Episcopal Church, particularly young music graduates who have no background in Anglican liturgy.
The Mentor Program, led by Dr. Marilyn Keiser, Chancellor Professor of Music at Indiana University, will match experienced church musicians in AAM with parish musicians to both meet on-site reciprocally and to develop an on-going supportive relationship. We hope to develop an online component for this program in future years.
In addition, AAM members remain active in the ongoing interdenominational program, the Leadership Program for Musicians [www.lpm-online.org], with many local educational opportunities. AAM continues to study ways in which continuing education for both clergy and musicians can be offered through seminaries and dioceses.
More information is available at .
Note: The URL for the Association of Anglican Musicians, which has many other resources for learning opportunities for musicians, is
http://www.anglicanmusicians.org/
I read with interest the article about educating congregational leaders. The New Dollars/New Partners for Your Sacred Place training program http://www.sacredplaces.org/training.htm is such a program. Currently we are exploring collaborations with schools of theology to assist pastors to lead congregations to be better stewards of their places of worship.
Please see our latest newsletter at http://www.sacredplaces.org/news_events.htm.
I would love to talk with folks who are interested in community partnerships, Asset-Based Community Development and Stewardship.
Peace and Blessings,
Elizabeth Ann Terry
Director of Training
Partners for Sacred Places
Note: The period at the end of Elizabeth’s newsletter URL seems to mislead some Web browsers. Click on the URL below to get to the correct location:
http://www.sacredplaces.org/news_events.htm
Wayne,
I was thrilled to read your article and to learn of Alban’s efforts to create a network of continuing education providers and resources! Thank you!
My wife, Jill, and I have stepped up our efforts to provide continuing education seminars and resources this year by formally creating Faith, Hope and Love Global Ministries growing out of work we have been doing since 2002 around the world to inspire, teach and encourage pastors and other Christian leaders. Everywhere we go we meet clergy who are struggling due to lack of resources to encourage and guide them. The need for quality written resources (like Alban materials), seminars, coaching, and other support is HUGE.
Appreciatively,
Tim Geoffrion
Spiritual Life Coach and
Executive Director, Faith, Hope and Love Global Ministries
I am already on the list for the e-newsletter. Please add me for materials on continuing education and resources for learners.
Thanks much,
JED
Enterprise Resource Planning Learning…
I enjoyed reading your blog. What a great thing it is to be able to share information like this on the Internet….