Gustavus Adolphus College, affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), operates the Continuous Growth Pathway (CGP) program in partnership with the Southeastern and Southwestern Minnesota Synods of the ELCA. Since 2004 Gustavus and the synods have offered a clergy wellness resource called Pastor-to-Pastor. The CGP builds upon this successful program and significantly expands it to create a comprehensive leadership development structure for the ELCA rostered leaders of Southern Minnesota. The CGP program offers rostered leaders: 1) on-going leadership development and mentoring opportunities sensitive to their tenure in ordained ministry to help them engage in a more focused professional development strategy; and 2) additional leadership support resources and focus for those serving congregations in rural, multicultural, and pioneering contexts to help them gain greater understanding and clarity about ministry in these particular settings. The CGP includes opportunities for rostered leaders to conduct self-assessments and professional inventories, participate in peer-to-peer small group opportunities, build relationships with mentors, receive spiritual direction and pursue advanced leadership development. To sustain the program, rostered leaders participating in the CGP pay an annual membership fee and the CGP appeals directly to congregations and individuals for financial support and shares a portion of the program costs with the synods. Membership in the CGP is limited to rostered leaders serving in the Southern Minnesota Synods of the ELCA.
Western Seminary, affiliated with Conservative Baptist Association of America, seeks a five-year grant for partial support to launch the Center for Pastoral Flourishing program (CPF), an effort to nurture and support the long-term well-being of pastors in the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. The program will focus on new pastors early in their service, emerging leaders stepping into larger pastoral leadership roles, mid-career pastors encountering transitions in settings or roles, and seasoned pastors looking to contribute to the emerging next generation. The CPF will identify and intentionally incorporate more pastors into its leadership networks, sponsor forums on leadership practices that foster and sustain flourishing in ministry, form pastors into peer cohorts, produce pastoral leadership resources for personal and group learning, and provide coaching for pastors and congregations. To sustain the CPF, Western Seminary will charge participants a nominal fee and seek funding from partners who share a commitment to strong pastoral leadership.
Campbell University, an institution of Christian Higher Education, historically rooted in the Baptist theological tradition, is offering the Fellowship for Clergy in Rural and Underserved Areas program. Focusing on pastors who serve congregations in rural and small-town settings, located primarily in, but not exclusively, central and eastern North Carolina, this program will develop pastors through peer learning cohorts of 16 clergy each who meet in person and online for a one-year period. During the program, the pastors will explore common ministry challenges and build connections with peer colleagues, mentors, university faculty and expert consultants. A second year of participation is available to those clergy wishing to continue as mentors to first year participants. The aim is to strengthen the leadership capacities and resiliency of the participating pastors. Campbell’s mission is to “lead with purpose.” This Fellowship bookends a cycle of work with high school students in our Youth Theological Institute, our undergraduate population, graduate students in partnership with our Divinity school, and now pastors in rural congregations. Formation in and through relationships is central to thriving in ministry and how we seek to increase the possibilities for pastoral ministry.
The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Communities Churches (MCC) requests a five-year grant for its Thriving in Ministry program. Seeking to break down the isolation experienced by many pastors in the denomination, this program aims to recruit, empower, and support clergy from diverse communities and theological traditions in forming a national ministerial network for mutual peer-support. The program will focus on pastors who are in the midst of a professional transition and pair them with wise pastor-mentors. The pastors will participate in a series of retreats to explore together practices of pastoral leadership and deepen their relationships with each other. To sustain this effort, MCC will ask participants to contribute to offer the program to future participants, incorporate costs into the operating budget and raise funds from donors.
CBF of North Carolina (CBFNC) seeks a five-year grant for partial support for its Helping Pastors Thrive program, an effort that targets pastors of the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship at different stages of their careers and helps them build relationships with peer colleagues for spiritual formation and ongoing professional development and support. The program will connect new and early career pastors with mentors and resource leaders through small groups and workshop retreats. Working together with partner colleges and theological schools, CBFNC also will create pastor-in-residence programs at these schools for mid- to late-career pastors who desire to seek time away from their congregation for personal reflection, learning and spiritual growth. To sustain this effort, CBFNC will raise funds from new donors and seek contributions from partner schools for the pastor-in-residence program.
Sojourners, a faith-based nonprofit organization, is leading an initiative to support the expansion of the Matthew 25 (M25) Network program. Matthew 25 seeks to connect experienced clergy with newer clergy to help them learn from each other through inter-generational exchanges. The program will form and support peer learning communities for 50 African-American pastors in the greater Washington, D.C., region and 100 Latino/a pastors in Southern California. In the second year, we will draw from lessons in year one to work with African-American and Latino/a pastors in an additional city. The pastors will engage in mutual mentoring, prayer, study, hands-on leadership education, and advocacy activities. These learning communities work in collaboration with seminaries and are designed to develop ecclesial imagination, engaging the congregations in the pastors’ learning process. These pastors of color and their congregations will be equipped through the program to respond effectively on multiple levels to the pastoral crises happening in their communities particularly immigration and criminal justice issues. We will share lessons learned from the project and highlight local efforts on our national media platforms. To sustain this work, Sojourners will work with its partners, the Christian Community Development Association, Centro Latino at Fuller Seminary, and Matthew25/Mateo 25 SoCal, to solicit support from individual donors, congregations, external partners, and through earned income.
