Who will benefit from this training? What will I be able to do on the other side?
This training is ideal for someone with pastoral experience who is looking to begin consulting with congregations in ministerial transition.
If you are a trained intentional interim, this training provides you with a new framework for working with congregations. This training is built upon our other trainings, but it is different and responsive to the needs we see in congregations today. This training provides intentional interims the possibility of working with congregations without serving as the interim pastor, in a shorter time frame, and with new skills to address today’s needs.
This training would be beneficial for those who are judicatory and denominational leaders seeking new tools to respond to the current needs of transitioning congregations.
Once training is completed, you will receive a certificate and will have the tools needed to begin working with congregations in transition as a consultant. We are also developing a database where congregations will be able to search for a transition consultant and this will be available for those who have completed our training.
What will I be trained in?
The Center for Congregational Health is committed to training individuals to offer process consulting to congregations. CCH consultants do not go as “experts” diagnosing and instructing congregations and their leaders on what to do. CCH consultants are experts in co-creating with congregations a process that empowers them to discern, deliberate, decide, and develop action plans toward a future that God has for them.
Consultants will be trained in the art of listening, reflecting back, facilitating crucial conversations and collective decision making – informed by the unique needs of a congregation in the specific context of a pastoral leadership transition.
Who is leading the training?
The staff of The Center for Congregational Health lead the trainings. Not only do our staff stay up to date on the research about congregations, but they also stay up to date on the realities of congregations by serving as consultants of congregations themselves. Along with other experience, each teacher has been trained as a consultant and has over a decade of experience in consulting with congregations.
Do I have to attend all of the training in person?
Yes, you must be present for all the training days. And we ask participants to be fully invested during that time. Emergencies happen but we ask that participants make preparations to be able to be fully focused on the training, activities and conversation. In our connected world it is easy to get too distracted by sending emails, answering texts and phone calls. Everyone benefits when everyone is fully present.
How many will be at the training?
We like to have at least six people registered for the training. We have had between six to twenty people in a session.
What materials will I receive?
You will receive an electronic notebook that has all of the PowerPoints from class along with a very extensive collection of resources to be used in your consulting work.
You will also receive a note page print out of the PowerPoints to take notes in person, along with pertinent materials for the active learning that is part of the training.
What do I need to bring?
You are welcome to bring your favorite pen, and favorite note taking tool but as mentioned, we will provide the note taking format of our PowerPoint presentation.
We will provide snacks and drinks for the training and you will receive a Google form before training to ask about dietary needs and questions to help with snack and meal selections.
Is housing provided?
No, housing is an additional cost. While we will give general lodging suggestions near the training sites, most often we do not give specific suggestions. We find that participants often stay with friends, stay in an Airbnb or have certain hotel families they favor. The number of participants in our trainings are usually smaller than a hotel requires for a discount.