| The Way of Ministry (TWM) |
On Being a Spiritual Nurturer (SNP) |
| The program: is grounded in the desire for all to be more faithful listeners and responders to the inward work of Christ. |
The program: is grounded in the desire for all to be more faithful listeners and responders to the inward work of Christ. |
| Created for: those who have already discerned a specific leading or call to gospel, traveling, or public ministry (i.e., religious service within and beyond their monthly and yearly meetings) and who would like support in addressing the individual and corporate challenges experienced in carrying out such ministries. |
Created for: those who are: 1) called to nurture their faith communities; 2) in transition and are sensing a nudge by God to service; 3) desiring a more grounded contemplative life; 4) seeking a deeper spiritual root to their witness in the world. |
| The focus is on: the faithful exercise of gifts in ministry, seeking greater awareness and responsiveness to the movements of the Spirit. |
The focus is on: deepening prayer life, listening in the everyday, and communal spiritual formation. |
| Applied learning: involves individually appropriate experience in public, gospel, or traveling ministry among Friends. |
Applied learning: involves life as a member of a faith community. |
| The range of topics covered: includes the historical and Christian roots (including scripture) of Quaker ministry, as well as Friends' current practices; discernment and calling; spiritual practices. |
The range of topics covered: are grounded in Christian spirituality and in Quakerism, including various forms of prayer, spiritual practices, and use of the Bible, adult spiritual formation, and venues of spiritual formation. |
| Small group learning through: peer group processes that allow for deepening and strengthening faithfulness in carrying a ministry and following a leading. |
Small group learning through: facilitated koinonia (fellowship) groups where being “church” for one other is sought, i.e., a community of caring, the body of Christ. |
| Other components include: worship, prayer, readings, papers, experiential exercises, presentations by core and guest teachers, discussions. |
Other components include: worship, prayer, readings, papers, experiential exercises, presentations by core and guest teachers, discussions. |
| Accountability: Requires regular meetings with a care/support committee that anchors the ministry in discernment and reports to the home faith community. |
Accountability: Requires regular meetings with a care committee from the home faith community that reports both to the home community and to the program. |
| Program commitment: is for one year, with four residencies located in Pennsylvania (as scheduled for the first offering of TWM in fall 2008). |
Program commitment: is for two years, with 8 residencies located in North Carolina (as scheduled for the next class in fall 2009). |
| Orientation: for those called to Quaker ministry; non-Quakers with an affinity for Quaker practice of ministry are welcome. |
Orientation: open to all who seek to nurture and to be nurtured by their home faith community. |
| Admissions: completion of application; two references; a minute of travel or religious service or letter of support from the home faith community. |
Admissions: completion of application, two references, and the testing of leading to enter program with a clearness committee. |
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