The
Maine Conference
United Church of Christ
Commission for Spiritual Life
The Academy for Congregational Life and Leadership: Pilgrim Path to the Future
Fall
2012
Joined in community, treasured and fed, may we discover gifts in each other, willing to lead and be
led.
©Brian Wren, We Are Your People
THE ACADEMY FOR CONGREGATIONAL LIFE AND LEADERSHIP provides a program
of spiritual formation and leadership development in community for members and
friends of the churches of the Maine Conference United Church of Christ.
The program supports the faith journey of each participant, offering
encouragement to live out one’s faith as congregational participant and/or
leader.
Academy participation can help prepare persons seeking licensure or
other forms of authorized ministry on the recommendation of and oversight
through local Association Committees on Ministry.
The CORE PROGRAM
is a two year schedule of classes which meet approximately once monthly through
the school year in classroom, retreat, home congregation, Association and
Annual Meeting settings. Faculty are leaders in their field, drawn from local resources including the
Conference Staff, seminary and other persons with expertise in class topics.
The following subjects are introduced:
*Biblical studies *worship
and liturgy *theology *ethics *learning and growing in congregational
community
*UCC history and polity *social justice *stewardship of creation
EXTENDED PROGRAM: The Practice of Ministry This third year offers an opportunity
for students to explore a particular practice or form of ministry, and is
intended to provide practical experience and theological reflection as well as
tools and resources to strengthen one’s ministerial capacities.
The tuition is $500 per term or $1000 per year. It is expected that
tuition fees will be shared by participant and local congregation. Some
scholarship assistance is available.
Cost should not be a prohibitive factor to participation. Car pooling to
classes is strongly encouraged.
“There’s a vision of
fellowship here
that I would like to have in my own church.”
Academy participant