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Equipping Ministry Leaders for a Changing World

A Partnership of the Vermont and New Hampshire Conferences of the United Church of Christ

  • develop a holistic program of discernment and learning for the whole church community

  • address the social and cultural realities of being faith-filled people in communities that are increasingly secular

  • foster a community of learning and collegial connections beyond “classroom and coursework” engagement

  • strengthen the church by equipping leaders for impactful ministry in the world

develop a holistic program of discernment and learning for the whole church community

address the social and cultural realities of being faith-filled people in communities that are increasingly secular

foster a community of learning and collegial connections beyond “classroom and coursework” engagement

strengthen the church by equipping leaders for impactful ministry in the world

Ministry21is for you!

Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to your role, we're here to support you in strengthening your church community.

Lay Leaders of Local Churches:

Empower yourself with the skills and knowledge needed to lead your congregation effectively. Our courses cover worship leadership, administrative best practices, financial management, and more.

Members in Discernment:

Immerse yourself in a supportive environment for your discernment journey. Explore your calling and develop the skills needed for ministry. Prepare for ordained ministry with confidence and clarity. Our course offerings will compliment those of other partners in discernment, and be identified with your Formation and Preparation Plans in mind.

Licensed Clergy:

Advance your professional development and deepen your ministry skills with our three-year track designed to support you in developing the foundational competency necessary for licensed leadership in the setting that has called or will call you. Engage in additional courses to continue your development and discernment. From pastoral care to innovative ministry models, we have courses to inspire and equip you for effective leadership.

Ordained Clergy:

Reignite your passion and vision for ministry with our transformative courses. Explore new possibilities for revitalizing your ministry, developing entrepreneurial skillsets, and establishing vital ministerial programs for the church and the world

JOIN US FOR CLASSES IN THE 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR

Through in-person learning and experiential opportunities the course will invite participants to delve deep into the art of creating liturgy, preparing and preaching sermons, and officiating worship in diverse congregational settings. Over the course of four full Saturday sessions and home-based work between sessions, learners will be invited to work toward the accomplishment of individually identified development goals with the support of a well-experienced instructor and a community of enthusiastic partners allowing for the course to meet the needs of new and experienced preachers and worship leaders.

Worship Leadership and Preaching

In-person classes: Sept. 14, Oct. 19,  Nov. 16, and Dec. 14

Location: Norwich Congregational Church, VT

Instructor Rev. Andy Nagy-Benson 

Scholarship Assistance

Your Conference Dean can help you navigate through the assistance available to you for the courses offered through this program. 
VT Conference Dean:
The Rev. Susie Webster-Toleno
VTDean@min21.org
NH Conference Dean:
The Rev. Stacey Kullgren
NHDean@min21.org

Ministry21 aims to break down barriers and expand opportunities for discernment and learning for ministry across our two Conferences. Our collaborative effort seeks to:

Program Funding

PROGRAM FUNDING:

We are grateful to the VT and NH conferences for funding us as we launch. The actual cost for offering a program of this nature, even with minimal staffing hours, is over $1000 per course participant in this launch year. Because of the generosity of both conferences and our plans for grant applications, we are able to keep our registration costs significantly lower.

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COURSE COSTS:

REGISTRATION: $350/COURSE

 

ADDITIONAL COSTS:

Each course will be different in coursework expectations between class sessions. Plan to spend some additional funds on texts. We will do what we can to assist you with keeping these costs low.

A Note about Our Courses

As we seek, through this program, to foster collegiality and connections between churches and leaders within them, our preference is for everyone able to attend class in person to do so. We are asking participants to join us in our efforts by making in-person attendance a priority. Please let us know if this presents hardships or concerns or might prevent you from registering. We do have the capacity to and will, if necessary, run a class session or a whole course hybrid. 

We ask for active engagement from all participants. We believe this is necessary for establishing a space in to which each person can bring their whole self with courage and vulnerability and know that they will be received by others who are doing the same. Each participant will be asked to identify learning goals for the course and self-identify your learning level. With this information the course instructors will offer appropriate feedback to assist you as you develop skill, grow knowledge, and increase your capacity for ministry in God’s church

You will be asked to participate in-between Saturday sessions using the online platform, Google Classroom. If you need assistance becoming familiar with this, please let your Conference Dean know. Each instructor will extend a variety of assignments in hopes of meeting the diverse needs of each learner. These assignments will be turned in through the online platform. Google Classroom will help you to stay organized as you progress through the course and give you space to engage in discussion with those involved in the program.

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