Iron Sharpening Iron

The name of this project is derived from Proverbs 27:17. Dr. Anne Stewart, project leader, and her team seek ways to strengthen pastoral leaders and congregations, building on the value of cohort learning groups and the Seminary’s residential model of education. Peer learning groups of women clergy are organized and equipped with the capacities, agency, and savvy to negotiate challenging leadership contexts with a confidence that is born of competence.

With the COVID-19 pandemic now a factor, the program has adapted to a largely virtual format, much of it by Zoom, with the additional need to cultivate adaptive, transformational leaders who can be at the forefront of reimagining what ministry looks like in the wake of a pandemic, recession, and civil unrest.

Three two-year classes have been planned, with the first one graduating recently and the second launching in May 2021. Like the first, it is divided into small groups that will meet with clergy coaches at least once every six weeks in digital cohort meetings. Among valuable tools offered are a summer reflective exercise, an online learning module, access to a private podcast leading to a network and conversations with strong women in ministry, and the discussion of articles.

As the first two-year class concludes, plans are forming to develop an alumnae support system and revenue generating tools to sustain the life of the project beyond the end of the grant.

The first two classes total 42 participants divided evenly into cohorts (associate pastors, solo pastors, and senior pastors/heads of staff). By denomination, they represent 17 Presbyterians, four United Church of Christ, four Baptists, four Episcopalians, four Methodists, four Mennonites, and three members of ELCA churches. Covering the nation geographically, regions represented are: Midwest – eight, Northeast – 17, Northwest – three, South – six, Southwest – three, West – two, and one from Canada. For those who stated their race/ethnicity, 12 are African American, three are Latina, two are Asian American, and one is multiracial. A total of 25 are Princeton Theological Seminary graduates.