Interim/Transitional Ministry Training Week 1

Embodying Transitional Leadership Today: Person, Place, Purpose, and Possibilities

DATES:  November 14 – 18, 2022

LOCATION:  Paisley Hall on the Richmond campus of Union Presbyterian Seminary

LED BY:  Rev. Nancy Dolan, Rev. Laura Sherwood, Dr. Dorothee Tripodi

Full leader bios can be viewed on the registration site, under the Leaders tab.

DESCRIPTION:  For pastors and church leaders interested in interim ministry and/or congregations in transition. The intense 30-hour course provides the basics for understanding interim ministry and transitional ministry.

What a head-spinning time we are in as leaders for the Church of Jesus Christ today. We know we are leaving something behind, but it’s not clear exactly what. We sense God is doing a “new thing” that has yet to be revealed. And still we are called to lead God’s people with “energy, intelligence, imagination, and love” in the midst of deep anxiety, loss and grief, disorientation and uncertainty, all at levels we have never before experienced. Amidst this tremendous disruption are layers upon layers of transitions.

What does faithful and fruitful transitional leadership look like today? How does one embody a pastoral presence that will embolden a congregation to identify and step into the new that is trying to emerge? Whether you are considering an interim position leading congregations through the transitions between pastors, or an installed call leading through the complex transitions thrust upon every congregation today, you are invited to join us in exploring what transitional pastoral leadership looks like for you.

This course is designed to reflect the realities of ministry today, with the ambiguity of the time we are in, alongside the certainty of God’s power, creativity, and provision. Our hope and expectation is that you will leave with:

• Practical understanding of different transitional leadership approaches and their relevant contexts,
• A range of tools for navigating transitions,
• Fresh perspectives, new ideas, spiritual grounding, and renewed energy for leadership in your context, and
• New connections with colleagues for on-going support and collaboration.

OVERVIEW

This week satisfies the Week I Interim/Transitional Ministry training credential required by most Church councils.

The course will cover the following topics:

• Effective leadership approaches in transition
• Tools and tasks to help prepare congregations for a new pastor
• Navigating systems, conflict, and power dynamics
• Theological and spiritual elements of times of transition, including opportunities and limits of worship and preaching
• Building and leading a culture of exploration, discernment, and discovery

SCHEDULE

Interim Ministry Education will begin Monday afternoon, after lunch on Monday, November 14 and conclude before lunch on Friday, November 18. Monday evening is the only required evening session, with an optional learning opportunity on Wednesday evening and a brief optional extension on Thursday evening. The schedule overview is included on the registration site, under the Agenda tab.

CAMPUS HOUSING

Due to protocols in place for Covid-19, limited housing on campus is available on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Participants can select housing, for an additional cost, when during registration. Single and double occupancy rooms will be available, with each room having a private bath.

Hotel recommendations can be supplied as well.

COSTS

$455 per person, if register by September 30, 2022

$480 per person, beginning October 1, 2022

Dinner on Monday evening and lunch on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are included in the costs. Additional costs include required reading, listed on the registration site, under the tab, Required Reading. Housing and travel costs not included.

CEUs:  3.0

For more information about Transitional Ministry in the Presbyterian Church (USA), click here.

THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE REQUIRED TO BE COMPLETED IN PREPARATION FOR THE WEEK 1 COURSE

Required Reading/Preparation:

Required Text 1: Interim Ministry in Action (2018), Norman B. Bendroth

Required Text 2: How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going (2019), Susan Beaumont

Companion Biblical Text: The Emmaus Road story from Luke 24:13-35. Participants are invited to pray with, as well as meditate and reflect on this text as they prepare for the week.

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Online registration is open. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. Once inside the registration site, located on the header bar, interested participants can view the Summary, Course Description, Agenda, Leaders, and Required Reading tabs. To begin registration, select New Registration.

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Note: Class size will be limited. Once capacity is reached, a waiting list will be started.