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Institute for Pastoral Leadership

April 2-3, 2008
8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on both days
Location: The Erdman Center,
Princeton Theological Seminary's
Center of Continuing Education

 

Some studies indicate that up to 50% of people entering parish ministry leave in the first ten years, never to return. Following are two ways that Princeton Theological Seminary is addressing this disturbing statistic:

  • Ongoing research on the role of the minister, including the introduction of a new vocabulary to describe the identities of ministry, and
  • Offering programs specifically tailored to these identities, as part of the repurposing of Continuing Education.

As described in an article first published in the Presbyterian Outlook (click here for the article ), these four identities are:

  • Minister as a spiritual servant of God.
  • Minister as a steward (of people and places).
  • Minister as a public person.
  • Minister as a professional.

It is recognized that seminaries, in general, focus on training in the first identity. The missing function is that of continual formation, where one develops all the identities.

As an ongoing service to the alumni/ae of the Seminary, the Erdman Center is pleased to convene an initial cohort, limited to no more than twenty participants who are members of the most recent ten graduating classes. Fellows in this Institute for Pastoral Leadership will use the identity of spiritual servant as an introduction to the other identities, along with an emphasis on effective ways to lead and demonstrate leadership.

Interested individuals may apply for the program by registering and answering three questions relating to the Outlook article:

  1. Given your experience, do you believe your role in ministry is defined by these identities? Why or why not?
  2. What would you contribute to this first Institute?
  3. What would you like to take away from the Institute?

These questions should be answered in an e-mail and sent to erdman@ptsem.edu.

Facilitators:

  • Iain R. Torrance, President and Professor of Patristics, will make welcoming comments.
  • Gordon Mikoski, Assistant Professor of Christian Education, focuses on formation and education.
  • Charles Kalmbach, research consultant to the Erdman Center, co-authored the Presbyterian Outlook article. He also served as the Chief Administration Officer of Princeton University.

Audience: Princeton Seminary graduates in the Classes of 1998-2007 in a parish or validated ministry.

Registration Fees:

  • Commuter: $220 (program, lunch on Wed and Thu)
  • Resident: $446 (program, lodging Tue-Thu, meals Tue dinner through Thu lunch)

Contact hours: 16

CEUs: 1.6

Registration:

Individuals wishing to participate should provide their full contact information (via the online registration, mail-in registration form, or telephone; below) and answer the questions (above) regarding the article. When individuals are admitted to the program, registration fees will be addressed.

Read Registration and Cancellation Policy here

Register online.

Download this mail-in registration form and mail to:

The Erdman Center
20 Library Place
Princeton NJ 08540-6824

Register by phone at 609.497.7990.

Additional inquiries are welcome:



Fellows in the Institute will have access to online resources, and opportunities to seek guidance and share advice well beyond the time spent on the Princeton campus.

 

 

 

 

 

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