Category Archives: Continuing Education

The Art of Transitional Ministry Training Event

Register now for The Art of Transitional Ministry Training, Week I & II. May 22-26, 2023 at the beautiful Mercy Center, St. Louis, MO

We live in a crazy time of transition in our churches and culture. Transitional Ministry Education is not limited to those presently engaged in or inquiring about transitional ministry. Anyone interested in learning how to walk through change alongside your church is invited to join in. PLUS, we have expanded to include a more diverse faculty and re-worked curriculum for this spring.

Mercy Center is a beautiful convent and retreat center which provides: good food for gathering, lovely grounds for unwinding, a labyrinth for spiritual centering, AND great space for meeting and learning from other motivated pastors, CREs, and all who serve the church on committees.

Basic Transitional Ministry Education consists of 60 contact hours plus a practicum. The contact hours are divided equally between two residency weeks: Week I (30 hours) and Week II (30 hours), separated by a practicum that combines reflection on, and experience in, some aspect of interim/transitional ministry.

The faculty this spring includes: Rev. Dr. Barbara Wilson, Chicago Presbytery Director of Collaboration & Community Partnerships; Rev. Dr. Eric Thomas, Pastor of Siloam Pres, Brooklyn, NY; Rev. Bruce Jones, Transitional pastor, Milwaukee, WI; Rev. Dr. Tassie Green, Bridge Pastor of Hope Pres, Wheaton, IL;  Rev. Gail Doering, Southern Kansas Transitional EP; and Tony de la Rosa, Transitional Exec, Synod of Mid America.

Union Presbyterian Seminary Leadership Inst. Fall 2020

Fall 2020 Upcoming Continuing Education

ONLINE WORKSHOP

The New Testament & Current Social Concerns

Led by: Dr. John Carroll
Professor of New Testament
Union Presbyterian Seminary

Dates: October 20 and October 27
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST

Learn More…

ONLINE COURSES

Human Growth & Faith Development (CE Certification Course)
Led by: Dr. Cindy Kissel-Ito, Associate Professor of Christian Education
Dates: August 31 – October 4, 2020

Polity & Administration (Pathways Online Course)
Led by: Rev. Carson Rhyne, Adjunct Instructor of Practical Theology
Dates: Tuesdays, September 8 – October 6, 2020

Biblical Interpretation (Pathways Online Course)
Led by: Dr. John Carroll, Professor of New Testament
Dates: Thursdays, September 10 – October 8, 2020

Reformed Theology/Church History (Pathways Online Course)
Led by: Dr. Paul Galbreath, Professor of Theology
Dates: Tuesdays, October 13 – November 17, 2020

Teaching the Bible (Pathways Online Course)
Led by: Dr. Cindy Kissel-Ito, Associate Professor of Christian Education
Dates: Thursdays, October 15 – November 12, 2020

Learn More…

Columbia Theological Seminary: Repairing the Breach

Columbia Theological Seminary Commits to Repair the Breach Caused by White Supremacy Deepening Columbia’s Commitment to Black People and Their Flourishing

Decatur, GA — Throughout the 2019 academic year, Columbia has wrestled with its history and participation in the enslavement and oppression of Black people. On Monday, June 15, 2020, the Board of Trustees met via Zoom to continue wrestling with Columbia’s history and future. The board meeting occurred in the midst of a national outcry for justice on behalf of the killings of Ahmaud Arbury, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks. Within this context, the Board of Trustees voted to unanimously affirm a commitment statement titled, “Repairing the Breach: Deepening Columbia’s Commitment to Black People and their Flourishing.”

The commitment statement explicitly outlines steps Columbia is implementing to begin directly addressing the harm that slavery and its aftermath have done to Black people and communities. New commitments include:

  • Full tuition and fees for all Black students who apply and are admitted to masters-level degree programs;
  • Naming Columbia’s signature residence hall Marcia Y. Riggs Hall (Riggs Commons) in public recognition of her ground-breaking research, teaching, and dedication to this seminary that has often failed to fully appreciate and celebrate her contributions and the those of other Black scholars;
  • Implementation of new policies to develop external partnerships with and support for others who are actively working to combat police brutality and anti-Black racism.

Columbia’s board, leadership, faculty, staff, and student body have collectively acknowledged that these new commitments represent one step toward dismantling systems of oppression. Therefore, the Board also reaffirmed a commitment to long-term processes that work to disrupt global cycles of oppression and create new realities at Columbia and beyond. Reflecting on this new commitment, Columbia President Van Dyk stated, “Columbia is more diverse than it has ever been. We work together and challenge one another to put our faith into action. Now is a time for us to move beyond conversations and toward concrete actions that decenter whiteness, center Black and brown people, and transform the structure of this seminary. We are committed to the long journey – and, we are committed to doing this tough work together.”

The full text of “Repairing the Breach,” as well as additional information about other Columbia commitments to equity, diversity, and inclusion, can be found at https://www.ctsnet.edu/home/repairing-the-breach/.

About Columbia Theological Seminary

Columbia Theological Seminary’s exists to cultivate faithful leaders for God’s changing world. As the most diverse educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Columbia Seminary is a community of theological inquiry, leadership development, and formation for ministry in the service of the Church and the world. Columbia offers six masters and doctoral degree programs, and opportunities for continuing education through The Center for Lifelong Learning. In the fall of 2019, Columbia committed to the Transforming Community Conferencing (TCC) process with Dr. David Hooker. This process is designed to unearth Columbia’s deep narratives and invite the community to adopt and live into a new preferred narrative. More information about the TCC process is forthcoming. For more information, please visit our website: ctsnet.edu.

Emergency student loan management enacted during COVID-19 crisis

Original article on presbyterianmission.org

PC(USA)’s Financial Aid for Service: Payments on eligible federal student loans are suspended through Sept. 30

by Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service

Melonee Tubb, the associate for Financial Aid for Service, is photographed during worship in the Chapel at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville. (Photo by Rich Copley)

LOUISVILLE — New resources from the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Financial Aid for Service provide guidance on how to manage one’s student loans, now that the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) has been signed into law by President Donald Trump.

Melonee Tubb, associate for FAF, said what people need to know right away is that they could be “off the hook’” for their federal student loan debt through Sept. 30.  The new law automatically suspends payments on eligible loans for six months, with no interest accrued.

By law, lenders have until Easter weekend to alert borrowers that their payments have been suspended.

Under the CARES legislation, loans made under the Federal Direct Loan Program that are eligible for suspended payments include Direct, Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS, and Consolidation loans. Payments for loans acquired through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), transferred to the Department of Education, are also eligible.

Tubb said people with a FFELP loan should check immediately because those loans managed by a private bank or institution aren’t eligible for automatic suspension.  Federal Perkins Loans managed by universities and any private loans are also not eligible under the CARES ACT.

“If you are having trouble making payments and have one of these ineligible loans, call your servicer immediately,” she said. “Some servicers are offering additional emergency deferment or forbearance options.”

The bottom line: Tubb encourages those with student debt to contact their servicer to find out more about how the new law will impact them. For example, Tubb said anyone working towards public service loan forgiveness (PSLF) or loan rehabilitation will get additional relief under the CARES legislation.

“Their suspended payments will be treated as if the borrower made the payments and count toward the 120 payments necessary for forgiveness,” she said.

Additional information on how the CARES Act might impact your federal student loans and tips on how to manage student loan debt during emergencies can be downloaded here.

Creative_Commons-BYNCNDYou may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.

Extension on Apollos Scholarship Deadline

The Omaha Presbyterian Seminary is extending the deadline on Apollos Scholarship Applications to May 1, 2020.

You are eligible for an Apollos Scholarship from Omaha Presbyterian Seminary Foundation if you are:

  • A member of a PC(USA) Congregation
  • Under care within a presbytery as an Inquirer or Candidate
  • Enrolled as a full-time student in the Master of Divinity degree program in one of the 10 Presbyterian seminaries
  • An individual who possesses quality of excellence for ministry

Click here to Apply

Click here for more information about Apollos Scholarships

Continuing Education Opportunities at Union Presbyterian Seminary Online

Online registration is open for Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Pathways to Learning and Leadership online courses for the 2019-2020 academic year. The Pathways program was developed initially in consultation with presbytery leaders to provide an educational component for Commissioned Ruling Elder (CRE) training.

They offer nine (9) online courses led by faculty of Union Presbyterian Seminary or experienced practitioners. The courses are organized between Phase I and Phase II categories. Phase I consists of four foundational courses, to include Biblical Interpretation, Reformed Theology/Church History, The Christian Life, and Mission & Evangelism. Phase II consists of five practical ministry courses, to include Pastoral Care, Polity & Administration, Preaching the Bible, Teaching the Bible, and Worship & Sacraments. See the attached flyer for the full schedule for the 2019-2020 academic year, with course descriptions. Each course includes five (5) online class meetings.

Courses are open to all, including church and lay leaders seeking continuing education to deepen their own knowledge and application. Each certificate of completion grants 3.0 CEUs to include class meeting time, reading, assignments, and class preparation..

For additional information, look on the website at: www.upsem.edu/pathways. The direct registration link can be found here: 2019-2020 Online Courses.

New Walker Presidential Scholarship To Make Seminary An Affordable Reality For PC(USA) Students

For Immediate Release:

At Columbia Theological Seminary, we are committed to providing an accessible, affordable theological education that is both academically rigorous and spiritually transformative. Scholarships are an essential part of this commitment.  Columbia Seminary offers one of the most expansive financial aid programs in the country. Financial aid awards include scholarships, grants, and tuition waivers that are awarded based on both merit and need.

Columbia Seminary continues to deepen our commitment to providing an affordable theological education by working with strategic partners to create new scholarship opportunities for our students. This fall, Columbia Seminary is excited to announce, once again, the creation of the Rev. Dr. Thomas W. & Jan C. Walker Presidential Scholarship. The Walker Presidential Scholarship will be awarded to Master of Divinity students from the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who show outstanding promise for pastoral ministry. The award will cover the full cost of attendance (tuition + fees) and provide each recipient with a $5,000 living stipend.

Are you interested in being considered for the Walker Presidential Scholarship? Apply online today! Visit www.ctsnet.edu/apply to begin your application. The priority deadline to be considered for the Walker Presidential Scholarship and other merit-based scholarships is February 1, 2019. All application materials must be submitted by this date to be considered.

Full-Tuition Awards:

The Columbia Scholarship covers full tuition, a single living unit and the full meal plan. Full-time enrollment is required, and each recipient must maintain a 3.50 GPA over the course of the degree program.

The Honors Scholarship covers the full cost of tuition and is awarded to a full-time student who must maintain a 3.3 GPA.

Take the next step on your journey to seminary: schedule a campus visit.

About the Scholarship:

The Walker Presidential Scholarship was made possible by an endowment gift from an anonymous donor in honor of the life of Christian ministry and service by the Rev. Dr. Tom W. & Mrs. Jan C. Walker of Palms Presbyterian Church in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Columbia Theological Seminary was formative in Tom’s pastoral leadership and this endowed award will provide permanent recognition of Tom and Jan’s ministry and will continue to support the development of future ministerial leaders at Columbia Theological Seminary.

About the Seminary:

Columbia Theological Seminary “exists to educate and nurture faithful, imaginative, and effective leaders for the sake of the Church and the world.” As an educational institution of the Presbyterian Church (USA), Columbia Seminary is a community of theological inquiry, leadership development, and formation for ministry in the service of the Church of Jesus Christ. Columbia Seminary offers six graduate degree programs and dozens of courses and events as a resource for church professionals and lay people through The Center for Lifelong Learning. For more information, please visit www.CTSnet.edu.