Continuing Education

Purpose

This program provides trained facilitators to work with small groups for mutual learning and support.

The groups covenant to meet monthly for one year (or longer) to study issues related to the church and ministry. The topics and the method of study are chosen by the participants.

Meetings can be face to face, by conference call, or through the Internet, depending on the makeup and preferences of the group.

Facilitators in various regions of the country are under contract with the General Council Office to organize these groups. The facilitators meet regularly by conference call for their own mutual support and learning.

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Who Can Apply

These groups are for leaders in The United Church of Canada: paid accountable leadership (lay or ordered), and those in volunteer leadership positions.

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Examples of Recent Grants

• A group of clergy from Guelph, Ontario, have been meeting monthly under the leadership of Bill Lord to study how ministry leadership is changing. They have been studying secular authors on leadership in addition to church-related books, and reflecting on case studies from the congregations they serve in.
• Youth ministers in London Conference will meet to consider issues related to their work. The group will include people in full-time, part-time, and volunteer youth ministry.
• Clergy from across northern Alberta have been meeting by conference call under the leadership of Clair Woodbury and Joyce Madson. Distances are so extreme that these participants have never met face to face, yet they have so valued their monthly meetings that the group has asked for the opportunity to meet for a second year.

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Where This Program Is Available

Currently, the program is available or coming soon in

• Kingston Presbytery
• Halton Presbytery
• Bruce Presbytery
• London Conference
• Alberta/Northwest Conference
• BC Lower Mainland and Victoria Presbytery

The program is growing from the pilot project stage to a full-blown national program. We are in the process of hiring and training new facilitators to expand the program into new regions.

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For Further Information

If you’re interested in further information or in becoming a facilitator, please write to us (e-mail is preferred wherever possible):

Continuing Education
Congregational, Educational, and Community Ministries Unit
The United Church of Canada
3250 Bloor St. West, Suite 300
Toronto, ON M8X 2Y4
E-mail: Continuing Education