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Daybook -- Today is Tuesday, January 2 , 2007, in Christmas.
* Today in Scripture: Daily Office meditation: http://www.forwardmovement.org/todaysreading.cfm * Today in Prayer: Anglican Cycle of Prayer: http://www.anglicancommunion.org/acp/index.cfm * Today in History: On this day in 1833, William Forbes Adams, missionary bishop of New Mexico and Arizona, was born at Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, Ireland. http://famousamericans.net/williamforbesadams/
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Teaching: Six Episcopal seminaries offer Doctor of Ministry programs
[ENS] Six of the eleven accredited Episcopal seminaries offer Doctor of Ministry programs. The Doctor of Ministry is an advanced degree and the highest professional degree for those engaged in parish ministry, world missions, and similar ministries. The Ph.D. degree, by comparison, equips students to engage in scholarly research and teaching. Doctor of Ministry programs are mostly three years in length and courses are usually offered with a flexible schedule in mind. Below are the six Episcopal seminaries and the D.Min. programs they offer.
Church Divinity School of the Pacific
Berkeley, California, is home to Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP). The Doctor of Ministry degree at CDSP teaches religious professionals to apply the strengths of their current vocations in new contexts.
The program invites participants to grapple with practical issues that challenge parishes every day. Doctoral students customize their course of study to meet their interests and gifts for ministry, and then tailor courses and a thesis that reflect their goals, as well as conduct their thesis projects in the context of their own professional ministry setting.
CDSP combines the perspective of an Episcopal seminary within the ecumenical and interfaith setting of the Graduate Theological Union. This combination equips graduates to apply their degree in diverse settings.
For more information, contact the Rev. Sue Singer, D.Min. program director, at 510-204-0729 or ssinger@cdsp.edu or visit http://cdsp.edu/ce_dmin.php.
Episcopal Divinity School
Episcopal Divinity School (EDS) is a member of the Boston Theological Institute, a consortium of nine theological schools in the Boston area. Through this institute, those attending any one of the member schools may participate in the life of the other schools by registering for classes, using the libraries, or attending special lectures or workshops for classes. EDS is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS).
The Doctor of Ministry program is designed to make the most of the Episcopal Divinity School's three Areas of Curricular Emphasis, and thus offers concentrations in Anglican, Global, and Ecumenical Studies; Congregational Studies; and Studies in Feminist Liberation Theologies. Opportunities exist for cross-registration in courses from the Boston Theological Institute.
The program is based on the conviction that those who are engaged in the practice of ministry are required to be working theologians and called upon to reflect critically upon the questions and issues posed by their ministry. Therefore, the program provides a setting in which ministers, lay and ordained, may improve their practice of ministry through focused theological reflection.
For more information, visit http://www.eds.edu/sec.asp?cat=37&page=35.
The School of Theology at Sewanee
The Doctor of Ministry program is offered by the School of Theology during the summer months. The focus of the program is the relationship between the practice of ministry and biblical, historical, and theological knowledge. It combines high academic standards with commitment to the church and to effective ministry today. Emphasis also is placed on reflecting theologically on one's ministry in the context of the Christian tradition. The program requires both the completion of a first professional degree in theology and experience in a field of ministry. The primary focus of the program is the practice of ministry and the development of skills, attitudes, and knowledge which are essential to ministry.
For more information visit
http://theology.sewanee.edu/academics/advanced_degree_program or contact the Director's Office Advanced Degrees Program at censley@sewanee.edu or by phone at 931-598-1282 or 800-722-1974, ext. 1282.
Seabury-Western Theological Seminary
Seabury-Western offers two Doctor of Ministry programs. These programs provide an opportunity for professional development for clergy who come to campus for a few weeks each summer for three years. The D.Min. in Congregational Development focuses on development of knowledge and skills for effective congregational change.
The D.Min. in Preaching program is offered collaboratively with several seminaries in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS), where students work with renowned preachers and teachers to develop their understanding of and skills in preaching.
Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development
The D.Min. in Congregational Development is a part of the Seabury Institute. The Seabury Institute was created by Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in 1994 and has since grown steadily in stature and reputation as a force for healthy, faithful change through its consulting and training programs. With the first and largest Doctor of Ministry in Congregational Development program anywhere and with a network of energetic and visionary graduate consultants, the Seabury Institute welcomes all who care about the future of the church and its congregations.
For more information, visit
http://www.seabury.edu/academics/doctoralprograms.php or contact Georgia Humphrey at georgia.humphrey@seabury.edu.
Doctor of Ministry in Preaching
The D.Min. in Preaching is an ecumenical program of six seminaries in the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS): Chicago Theological Seminary, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, McCormick Theological Seminary, Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, North Park Theological Seminary, and Seabury-Western.
The program involves a three-week residency each summer for three years and independent parish projects conducted after each residency. Courses are taught by faculty from the ACTS schools and renowned teachers and preachers from across the country. Each residency also includes the presence of a nationally known keynote speaker. Particular strengths of the program are the inter-seminary, interdisciplinary faculty; peer interaction during residency; and faculty/student collaboration between residencies.
For more information, visit the ACTS D.Min. in Preaching website or contact Danna Gobel at the Program Office: 5460 S. University Ave., Chicago, IL 60615, or phone 773-947-6270.
Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry
Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry, based in Ambridge, PA, offers a Doctor of Ministry degree which provides clergy with advanced-level training in their field of ministry. The purpose of the program is to share in the collegial process of theological reflection, biblical and practical learning, and clear writing so as to form an individual who is more effectively equipped to serve the Christian church as a transformational leader-one who has contributed a project that addresses a ministry problem in a helpful manner.
For more information contact, the Rev. Dr. H. Lawrence Thompson III, dean of the School of Doctoral Studies, at 800-874-8754 or 724-266-3838.
Virginia Theological Seminary
Virginia Seminary, based in Alexandria, VA, offers Doctor of Ministry degrees with specialization in ministry development and educational leadership.
The primary goal of the D.Min. in Ministry Development is to provide skills and resources for the ministerial leadership that is needed in forming a community of faith for the shared practice of mission and ministry in Jesus' name.
The D.Min. in Educational Leadership provides school leaders with the opportunity to reflect on their vocation and to develop new professional skills in critical areas of school ministry.
Doctoral studies are generally completed in four to five years, with extensions granted under special circumstances. Three years are required to complete the residencies.
Doctor of Ministry in Ministry Development
For over thirty years, Virginia Theological Seminary has offered the Doctor of Ministry degree with specialization in Ministry Development. Case studies in colleague groups of six to eight persons make this ecumenical program strongly experientially based. Study and reflection at home inform the three intensive residential sessions at VTS.
The D.Min. in Ministry Development is not directed toward academic research or teaching but towards increased excellence in the practice of ministry. Three years of full-time ministry are required for participation in the program.
Doctor of Ministry in Educational Leadership
The D.Min. in Educational Leadership is designed for leaders in full-time school ministry, such as heads of schools, chaplains, rectors, and teachers of religion. The program involves academic research as such research pertains to the practice of being a leader in school ministry. Three years of full-time school ministry are normally required for participation in the program.
For more information about both degrees, visit http://www.vts.edu/education/doctor or contact the Rev. James Barney Hawkins IV, Ph.D., director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at bhawkins@vts.edu.
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Catalyst: "Seeking the Spirit: How to Create a Community of Seekers" from Church Publishing, Inc., by Harry Brunett and Jennifer Grow, 116 pages, paperback, c. 2006, $14.95
[Source: Church Publishing, Inc.] -- While the traditional church passes on the best of its heritage, it's also called to honor the search for God in a changing culture that isn't bound by the answers of the past. In response to the needs of these seekers, Journeys Community was born. In its weekly worship services and its outreach to those in need, it offers an enriching spiritual experience that draws on many faith traditions and a variety of media. Sunday services feature readings from sources as diverse as Mother Teresa, Kahlil Gibran, and Thich Nhat Hanh, and include contemporary and classical music as well as film clips.
Here in Seeking the Spirit, readers will explore the "emergent church" phenomenon and Journeys Community's response to it. It's a fascinating look - and a hands-on guide-to establishing a seeker ministry based on the Journeys model. Included are useful resources and sample worship services.
To order: Episcopal Books and Resources, online at http://www.episcopalbookstore.org or call 800.903.5544.
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