Knowing that art and creative endeavors enhance pastoral skills, these four ministers from Episcopal, United Methodist and Presbyterian (USA) churches are meeting to explore art and its use in worship.  They will travel to Chicago, Seattle, Philadelphia and Tempe to experience how different congregations use art as an integral part of their worship practices.  Recognizing that they themselves are also artists, as a culmination of their explorations and discoveries, this group will prepare works of visual art that will be shared with congregations as well as at least one article they will submit to a professional journal.

Four women ministers in the San Francisco area have taken Paul seriously and are working to transform and renew their minds, realizing that the transformative journey toward pastoral excellence involves risks, moving beyond what is comfortable as they embrace the mystery of God.  Entering into artistic play will push them beyond their comfort zones; but they have covenanted to hold one another in these vulnerable places and respect how the Holy Spirit encounters them in such moments.

This is a group of ministers all of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).  They are bound by ties of friendship, family, denomination and their desire to carve and create fine works of liturgical art that can be used by their congregations.   Under the direction and mentoring of woodworking masters, each minister will tailor a piece of wood, and share their creative process with the other members of the cohort.  These minister-craftsmen believe their endeavors to create pull them into a closer understanding of a creative God.  Sharing what they create with their congregations, invites those they serve to plumb the depths of a generative God.

Four Denver area ministers, Presbyterian and Lutheran, are exploring what it is to be ‘conspirational,’ i.e., synergistic with God, working for Good in all things.  These men are in vocations other than congregational leadership: hospital, hospice, and interfaith relationships, working in the roles of pastor, priest and prophet to interpret God’s spirit in the world.  They are deeply exploring their pastoral identities through self-discovery and authentic relationships.

 

For several years, this group of solo pastors has met to prepare sermons and discuss the practicalities of leading congregations.  Today they shift their focus to more introspective endeavors. They will become pastors for each other, creating a safe space to reflect on their calls and devote time for rest and play.  This cohort will engage mentors who excel at pastoral care of others and self.

The five ministers in this cohort grew to be friends during their time in the Center for Theological Inquiry’s Pastor Theological Program.  Although they represent different denominations (United Methodist, Presbyterian (USA), and the United Church of Christ), each longs to remain theologically informed, pastorally relevant and engaged in ecumenical conversations.  They will keep in touch with each other and what they are reading through blogs, email discussions and hiking retreats where they will engage their bodies as well as their minds.

These eight southwestern Lutheran ministers seek to define pastoral excellence by learning the language and more about the culture of the Mexican and Central Americans around them.  They will study independently with computer-based language tutorials and together at a language immersion school in Mexico or Costa Rica.

Four mothers in ministry are looking to discover ways in which they can best function in ministry while also being the best parents and partners they can be.  They live throughout the country in places that include Kauai, Hawaii; Lake Forest Park, Washington; Washington, DC; and Marlboro, New York.  The group will travel to at least three of these locations.  They will invite speakers on Hawaiian spirituality and practices, participate in rejuvenating retreat activities, explore how motherhood relates to ministry, faith, etc., and revel in the beauty of nature.

Five men from different ethnic backgrounds, including African-American, Hispanic, and Anglo have come together from Austin and San Antonio.  The group will meet for support and accountability so they may enable each other to thrive in ministry. They will travel to different ministry settings for in-depth explorations and inquiries so they may better understand the various emerging models of ministerial leadership.  Some of these trips will include visiting multicultural / urban settings in Chicago, New York City, and Los Angeles.

Five clergywomen who have supported each other through many of life’s most challenging times, wonder how they might use the wisdom they’ve gleaned in the process of supporting each other individually to create spaces where they might create such environments for change and transformation in their faith communities, their work places and in the world?”  The group will meet for two retreats they will design that will help them hone their questions and talents.  They will join with other women at either The Berkana Institute or the Art of Hosting Conversational Leadership Program.

Five leaders of various traditions, including Roman Catholic, American Baptist, Unitarian, United Methodist, and Episcopalian, and are lesbian, straight, gay, partnered, married, celibate, male and female, aged 41-65 are seeking to deepen and sustain learning in pastoral leadership and best practices in ministry, as well as renew their spirits by engaging in quarterly retreats over the next two years.  They will meet once every three months for 2-3 day retreats in the Pacific Northwest.  These retreats will be planned and facilitated by members of the cohort and outside facilitators, and will include individual reflection, prayer, group reflection and support, feasting and play.  Their celebrated diversity they believe will contribute to the spiritual renewal they seek.

Four female clergy from Georgia seek to strengthen their personal relationships, health and well-being, and to serve others less fortunate outside their church walls through domestic and international mission efforts.  The group will meet in Atlanta, Georgia, Cartago, Costa Rica, Austin, Texas, and New Rochelle, New York.

The Theory U Group is a collection of five individuals from four different states who formed a peer group after eight months of discussions and a planning retreat.  This group intends to focus on difficulties associated with integrating the traditions of theological work, while maintaining a healthy relationship with the context and the times.  The Theory U Group plans to incorporate many of the ideas of Peter Senge et al.’s book, Presence.  The group has planned three retreats and a pilgrimage to Maine, and intends to create ongoing web journals and online resources.

Six women from four states have coalesced into the group The Way of the Pilgrim.  These ministers are focused on all aspects of pilgrimage, aiming their efforts specifically on Christian pilgrimage.  The Way of the Pilgrim is a group interested in the historical, spiritual, contextual, and cultural aspects of Christian pilgrimage.  The group will meet three times in two years.  Initially they will meet to prepare for and study their pilgrimage.  They will then meet a second time to undertake their pilgrimage, and will then meet a third time to celebrate and reflect upon their pilgrimage, and to look towards the future for further pilgrimage opportunities.

The Undying Metaphors group is four young ministers from Duke who feel that the church is no longer speaking to its audience, so much as talking at them.  They believe the church uses metaphors that were rendered obsolete long ago, although their messages hold true.  The Undying Metaphors group intends to put these old metaphors into practical terms, making them more acceptable by today’s young minds.  The group’s design includes traveling to a vineyard to delve into the wine metaphor, going to a bakery in order to probe the bread and yeast metaphor, and exploring a local fort to metaphorically explore peace-making and war-waging.