Registration for the Maine School of Ministry
January Term 2027 Registration Info
Course Title: UCC History, Polity, and Theology
Instructor: Rev. Shernell Edney
Pre-requisites: Interest in the United Church of Christ. Relevant experience in church life.
Requirements: Internet connectivity for real-time Zoom sessions.
Course Description: Do you thrive with interactive courses engaging the material in real time? Throughout, we will have live conversation with real sojourners of the denomination, for example: Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, the current and first woman General Minister, President and CEO of the UCC; Rev. Dr. Yvonne V. Delk, the first African American woman ordained in the denomination; and Rev. Dr. JJ Flag, a disability theologian. This course fuses present possibilities in church life, future vision for UCC expressions, and content from past centuries leading up to the last 60 years of “being church” as a denomination. We will cover governance and decision-making, authorization of ministers, and theological praxis from a unique standpoint. Taught by a neuro-diverse professor, the approach in this class will be one that focuses on a variety of ways to learn and to have a great experience! The United Church of Christ lives in a space of creative tensions, responding in faith across generations. Come join us as we visit some of those creative tensions together where we will learn more about ourselves, each other, and how to BE the United Church of Christ.
Course Objectives: This course is a condensed version of polity courses intended to serve Members in Discernment or those seeking Privilege of Call to serve in an authorized ministry capacity on behalf of the UCC. It can also serve as an introduction to the UCC for adult learners who are not taking the full-credit course but who want to know more about the denomination through a single-session workshop.
Course Fee: Single-session workshop offered for $50. Full course for credit, $550. Subsidized rate for Maine students, full-credit course, $450.
Scholarships: Partial scholarships are available. To apply for a scholarship in a specific amount, please email Dean Malcolm Himschoot: mhimschoot@maineucc.org by Dec. 8.
Course Syllabus: Course syllabus will be emailed to paid registrants after Dec. 8.
Class Meetings: Single-session workshop to be offered on Saturday, January 9 (11:30-4:30 Eastern time). Full course continues on Saturdays from Jan 9 – Feb 6 (11:30-4:30 Eastern time).
Use the form below to register for the 2027 January Term offered by the Maine School of Ministry (MESOM).