A more expansive view
About this blog
Lee Hinson-Hasty is coordinator for theological education and seminary relations in the General Assembly Mission Council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Through his work Lee hopes to capture and share a more expansive view of theological education, of church leadership and of vocational discernment as he sees through the eyes of some exciting Presbyterians in and related to seminaries.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Office of Theological Education
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A New Generation of Amazing PCUSA Candidates for Ministry!
Will They Have a Place to Serve?
An Open Letter to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) from the Committee on Theological Education
Pentecost 2011
In recent years, many of you—pastors, elders, church members, college chaplains, youth leaders, the Presbyterian Young Adult Volunteer Program, the Lilly Endowment, the Seminary Support Network, presbyteries and others—have encouraged young persons with promise for ministry to consider seminary. Because of your good work, a new generation of amazing candidates for ministry is answering that call. These bright, energetic, missional, creative, and globally aware students represent an abundance of promise and talent. They are willing to go almost anywhere and do anything God is calling them to do.
Will they have a place to serve? Across the nation, many PC(USA) congregations are redefining their mission in response to changing demographics and dynamics. These congregations, along with many presbyteries, see an abundance of possibilities for creative new ministries, but many struggle to find funding to support their vision.
How can our church seize the opportunity to connect these gifted seminary graduates with visionary and faithful ministries of service and witness to Jesus Christ? We invite the church into a creative process to find the resources needed. We believe this process will enable congregations, faith communities, and ministries to flourish with the leadership of an exciting, new generation of ministers. We know people across our church have ideas, programs, practices, and financial resources that could transform these challenges into realities. We encourage the whole church to ask the bold question: “Why not?”
Why not . . .
• Imagine more pastoral residencies in small-membership congregations along the existing model, “For Such a Time as This”?
• Ask the seminaries to develop more programs that train persons for new church development or church transformation?
• Encourage more presbyteries that sell the properties of a closing congregation to put the proceeds into a fund to support congregational and faith community development?
• Encourage more congregations to deploy a newly called associate pastor to begin a new faith community or revitalize an existing one?
• Launch a new fundraising initiative to provide grants to recent seminary graduates beginning new ministries? • Imagine the Board of Pensions enabling qualified new pastors to begin their ministries in small- membership
churches by expanding the debt-forgiveness program? • Develop more programs to assist congregations in calling full-time transformational pastors? • Take a risk and start a new ministry today in your community?
The Committee on Theological Education is working on these questions. We are convinced that our dear church has the intellectual, spiritual, creative, and financial resources to turn our challenges into dynamic and innovative opportunities to share the good news. If you are asking these questions, if you can add others or offer your best ideas, look for us at the Big Tent and other events. Contact us at cote@pcusa.org. Join us in prayer that this Pentecost the Holy Spirit will renew the church through the gifts of a new generation of candidates for ministry. We look forward to being in conversation with you about the future of the church.
Faithfully yours,
Theodore J. Wardlaw
Chair, Committee on Theological Education President, Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Austin, Texas
Kathryn Wolf Reed
Vice Chair, Committee on Theological Education Associate Pastor, First Presbyterian Church Tuscaloosa, Alabama
The Committee on Theological Education of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a General Assembly committee composed of the presidents of all PC(USA) and corresponding seminaries, as well as elected representatives from other church constituencies. COTE carries out tasks related to theological education, including “developing and maintaining a comprehensive overview of theological education from the perspective of the whole church.” http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/seminaries/cote/
- Posted at 4:16 p.m.
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