ministries
Continuing Education for Clergy
Our call as pastors includes a commitment to life-long learning. As members of a covenantal community that seeks to be faithful to this understanding, The Board of Ordained Ministry in the Upper New York Conference, in cooperation with the Fellowship of Associate Members and Local Pastors, the Order of Deacons, and the Order of Elders, has changed the understanding of Continuing Education to the following:
All clergy under appointment or assignment are required to complete 2 CEUs (20 contact hours) per year or accumulative 8 CEUs (80 contacts hours) per quadrennium and will provide documentation to the DS, unless enrolled and attending Course of Study or Seminary Degree Program.
The change is to require pastors to be about this important work as lifetime learners, growing in areas that increase leadership capacity.
Continuing Education Experiences
We want to encourage you to explore some of the offerings that may meet these competencies. Some can be found on the Vital Congregations page of the Upper New York Website.
Possible experiences include:
- Bishop’s Retreat - 0.75 CEUs
- Hand to Plow (for clergy and congregations)
- Illuminate Preaching Academy - 6.5CEUs
- Leadership Academy - 7.2 CEUs
- Tending the Fire - 12 CEUs
- Tending the Soul - 12 CEUs
- EQ-HR Emotional Intelligence Training
- Pastor Leadership Development (PLD) - 3.2 CEUs
Additional Experiences can be found in Interpreter Magazine and Circuit Rider Magazine.
Funding
Each Ministry Setting that is a local church or charge of churches should designate funds available to appointed clergy for Continuing Education.
Annual Conference support is available through the Board of Ordained Ministry. Continuing Education Grants will be offered as long as funds are available.