Center for Career Development and Ministry

Note: This is not a job placement Agency.

Our professional services include:

Assessment Our staff conducts assessments for candidates seeking ordination and for clergy seeking recognition of ministry standing or continued fitness for ministry service. Special assessments for other circumstances are sometime arranged. Psychological and vocational inventories are used. The assessment programs are typically two consecutive days in duration. A report detailing the client’s skills, characteristics, and interactive style as well as points of vulnerability is written with the needs of other adjudicating bodies and the candidate in mind. For ministry assessments, a report generally includes references to one’s call to ministry, leadership style, personality traits, preferences in the ministry role and emotional and psychological factors. The report is designed to assist the client to deepen his or her understanding of readiness and fitness for the ministry of choice. Standard fees apply to these two-day programs

Counseling Our counselors strive to deepen our clients’ awareness of professional goals, objectives, and interactive style; identify gifts, interests, values and faith commitment when these apply; assess professional competencies and potential areas of vulnerability; explore issues related to current work difficulties, emotional strain, family relationships or financial stress; consider vocational options or plans for retirement or transition; acknowledge other vocational, social, psychological, emotional, and financial adjustments that lie ahead.

Spiritual Direction Several members of our staff are trained spiritual directors. All arrangements for Spiritual Direction are made directly with these persons. Their contact data is available through our office and on the Contact page of the website.

Coaching Our staff will assist clients to identify specific skills or capacities that need development and then construct a coaching process to broaden knowledge and improve performance. This is often done as a follow up to one of the Center’s programs. Coaching involves meeting by appointment with a counselor, either in person or by telephone. Fees for coaching will be negotiated.

Consultation Our staff consults with search committees, ministry teams, or organizations to conduct training events, executive searches, staff/team development and leadership modules for clergy. We also consult with committees that deal with ministry preparation, clergy standing, and judicatory personnel to assess and support the development of excellence in church leaders. Fees for consulting will be negotiated; standard fees based upon half-day blocks of time apply to longer consultations or workshops.

Education Our staff works with your organization to identify topics of relevance and to develop a training event or a high-quality workshop.