Small Church Residency Program
This year the Synod will launch a pilot Small Church Residency Program to support “hard-to-call” congregations. The three-year Designated Pastor program is designed for congregations ready for a transformation. Pastors and congregations participating in the program will receive training in change management, discipleship, stewardship, evangelism, and community relations.
The program follows the Congregational Vitality Matthew 25 foci. New-to-ministry pastoral residents will have the opportunity to learn the role of the public theologian in a ministry setting focused on adaptive leadership, collaboration, building ministry teams, community development, and 21st Century Church dynamics. The program requires intentional learning and collaboration efforts on the part of congregations and pastors. Through the program, ministry innovation and new models of ministry will be explored. Although providing pastoral leadership is the goal, the residency also should provide vocational clarity for those with a sense of call to smaller church ministry.
Currently, the Synod has budgeted $30,000 for this program, to be divided between two presbyteries. With your support, one additional presbytery can participate in the program.
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