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Coaching Network

Coaching is a powerful tool to help individuals in leadership roles and church leadership teams discover and embrace their God-given goals.

Coaching is a powerful tool to help individuals in leadership roles and church leadership teams discover and embrace their God-given goals.

The Coaching Network is offering scholarships for seven professional coaching hours to PC(U.S.A.) ministry leaders within the Synod community and scholarships for seven professional coaching hours to ministry leader teams.

What is Coaching?

Coaching is partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential. The process of coaching often unlocks previously untapped sources of imagination, productivity and leadership. We all have goals we want to reach, challenges we’re striving to overcome and times when we feel stuck. Partnering with a coach can change your life, setting you on a path to greater personal and professional fulfillment.

Apply Here

Individual and Team Coaching scholarships are available for 7 hours of coaching.

Applicants will need to register in the Foundant system

  • Click on “Coaching Network Scholarship”

Apply Here

Become an ICF-Trained Coach

Become an ICF-trained coach to support the goal of diversity in the synod and strengthening ministry

$500 scholarships for the training, and more, if needed, to anyone in the synod

The training: https://www.loavesandfishescoachtraining.com/overview-of-the-training

The cost: https://www.loavesandfishescoachtraining.com/faqs

Application: https://www.loavesandfishescoachtraining.com/online-application

More about the Coaching Network

Are you a leader (or team of leaders) involved in transformational ministry, developing an emerging ministry, or moving forward after being recognized as a network? A coaching relationship can provide time and space for Holy Spirit to be heard and lead you forward in a thoughtful, creative way.  As your coach listens deeply and asks powerful questions, you can become aware of and commit to new possibilities for action and become more aware of obstacles that may be holding you back.

The Synod of the Northeast believes God has a dream for our congregations and presbyteries – a way we may be called to serve in response to a particular need within the regional community of the northeast and invites the congregations and presbyteries of the Synod to enter into a partnership with the Synod to discern and pursue God’s calling to be engaged in emerging and/or transformational ministries.

We can connect you with professionally trained coaches with a commitment to and understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in ministry settings.

We can refer you to other professionally trained coaches with a commitment to and understanding of the challenges and opportunities that exist in ministry settings when no member of the Network is available and/or able to meet your particular needs.

Coaching Network Q&As

How is Coaching Done?

Most coaching of individual leaders is done over the telephone or via Skype or other visual technologies. Geographic distance is not a barrier to work with a particular coach. When a coach and a client are located near to each other face-to-face coaching may be possible if that is the client's preference.

Coaching of teams may be done via technology or by arranging for the coach to meet with your team on site.

What are the qualifications of the coaches?

  • Coaches who are members of the Synod’s Coaching Network are all certified by the International Coach Federation or have completed a minimum of 60 hours of training approved by the International Coach Federation (ICF) and are working toward ICF certification.
  • Members of the Synod’s NE Coaching Network commit to abide by the ethical standards of the International Coach Federation in the practice of coaching within the Synod of the Northeast.
  • Members of the Synod’s Coaching Network are all Presbyterians who are committed to the vision, ministries, churches, and Presbyteries in the Synod of the Northeast.

How can I connect with a Coach?

If you are interested in connecting with a member of the Synod of the Northeast Coaching Network, email us. We will send you bios and contact information for members of the Synod’s Coaching Network who are accepting new clients. After reviewing these, you may contact one or more of the coaches to explore who might be the right coach for you. When you decide to work with a particular coach, you would sign a coaching covenant with that particular coach. The SynodNE Coaching Network does not assign coaches; as with all aspects of coaching, you are in control of the decisions and commitments you make.

If there is not a member of the SynodNE Coaching Network available who is a good match for your needs, the SynodNE Coaching Network may refer you to another coach who is ICF certified. Again, you are in control and will decide whether or not to enter into a coaching covenant with that particular coach.

What does coaching cost?

Coaching fees charged by particular coaches may vary according to their level of certification, experience, and geographic location. Fee structure is one of the important questions to explore when contacting a coach to consider a coaching covenant. It is important to note that it is often possible for pastors/ministry leaders and CREs/lay pastors to request financial assistance for coaching from their Presbytery. Pastors and CREs can also use study leave funds for coaching. Leaders of emerging ministries may wish to seek financial support for coaching from their sponsoring entity (congregation/presbytery, etc.)

Is financial assistance available for coaching?

The Synod of the Northeast has made limited funds available for coaching financial assistance. Applications may be submitted by ministry leaders and leadership teams (including church boards and church committees of PC(USA) congregations and leadership teams of emerging ministries sponsored by the PC(USA)) located within the bounds of the Synod of the Northeast.

Who do we prioritize in granting financial assistance?

  • Persons developing applications to be approved as a network who are referred for coaching by the Synod Networker
  • Leaders of emerging ministries
  • Leaders actively engaged in church transformation
  • Young ministry leaders
  • Racial/ethnic leaders and leaders of racial/ethnic ministries
  • Small church leaders
  • Leaders working through transitions and/or adaptive challenges
  • Applicants whose coaching is also supported by funds from their presbytery, congregation, and/or continuing education funds.

Who are our coaches?

  • Rev. Dr. Betsey Crimmins,* ACC (Geneva)
  • Rev. Laurie Ferguson,* PhD, PCC (Hudson River)
  • Rev. Chip Low,* PCC, ACTC (Hudson River)
  • Rev. Anne Waasdorp,* ICF-trained (Genesee Valley)
  • Rev. Mike Capron, ICF-trained (Northeast New Jersey)
  • Rebecca D'Angelo-Veitch, ICF-trained (Genesee Valley)
  • Rev. Dr. Susan DeGeorge, ICF-trained (Hudson River)
  • Rev. Dr. Janice Lee Fitzgerald, PCC (Geneva)
  • Rev. Chris Garrison, ACC (Albany)
  • Rev. Krystin Granberg, ICF-trained (New York City)
  • Rev. Michael Fry, ICF-trained (Genesee Valley)
  • Rev. Beth Scibienski, ACC (Highlands New Jersey)
  • Elder Maureen Stone, PCC (Genesee Valley)
  • Rev. Deborah Swift, ICF-trained (Genesee Valley)
*= Member of Coaching Network Leadership Team

How Do I Join the Coaching Network?

The Synod of the Northeast Coaching Network is open to all Presbyterians in the Synod of the Northeast who are certified professional coaches or who have completed at least sixty hours of professional coach training and are working toward certification as a professional coach. Members of the SynodNE Coach Network commit to: Abiding by the ethical standards of the International Coach Federation in the practice of coaching within the Synod of the Northeast. Offering at least five pro bono coaching hours to Synod-related ministries and/or ministry leaders within the Synod each year. Being available for consultation with each other and for support of each other as they provide professional coaching services to Presbyterians within the Synod of the Northeast. Participating at least twice a year to evaluate the work of the network and to share insights gained from working with forming networks, approved networks, emerging ministries, and ministry leaders in order to promote best practices in this work and gain fresh perspectives for this ministry. International Coach Federation Certifications: Associate Certified Coach Professional Certified Coach ICF-trained, working toward ACC Advanced Certification in Team Coaching