Ministry is relational. This is crucial in all areas of parish administration—budgets, pledge drives, fund-raisers, building campaigns, staff oversight, volunteer support, facilities, long-range planning. What is the pastor’s role? Where to prod and when to defer to lay leaders? When to hold a program or a committee together or let it fall apart? How to supervise staff and what to pay? We will consider ministering in “after pastor” congregations and the experiences of leaders of color in dominant-culture congregations. To consider personal balance and boundaries as professionals, we will interview ministers about their stresses and lessons. In class discussions and papers, we will reflect on articles, books, case studies, sermons.
Requirements include a few Moodle forum reflections and conversations, a reflection paper, a sermon, and a later-term project based on your goals and interests with an in-class presentation and accompanying paper.
Materials are intended for UU students but course is open to other students on an ordination track. Please contact the instructor; approval needed for all students.
This course meets the SKSM Threshold: 1) Life in Religious Community and Interfaith Engagement and MFC Comp: 5) Ad. [Faculty Consent required; 15 max enrollment]
