Page Map In General Sabbatical Region 8 Cont. Ed Sharing First Call Theological Education Plenary 2025 Biannual Synod Clergy Continuing Ed Event The Planning Team Fall 2025: Spirits, Angels, and Demons in the Bible Winter/Spring 2025: Bonhoeffer and Nationalism Past Events Boundaries Training

Having all the information about clergy-specific continuing education unnecessarily cluttered the Education for Clergy & Laity page. We've pulled the standards, recommendations, and clergy continuing ed materials here.

In General

WV-WMD typically holds two main clergy cont. ed events each year, one in fall, the other in winter. More about that below.

It is worth noting that CA97.2.7(a)(1)(a), an action of the Churchwide Assembly, encourages "a minimum of 50 contact hours per year of intentional continuing education, or 150 contact hours each three-year period." N.B., a contact hour is defined (as found on the rostered leader's annual report to bishop) as 50 minutes of class time or the equivalent. Time in worship, at meals, etc. does not count as contact hours. You may review the Report on Life-Long Learning and Development for Faithful Leaders (1997), the recommendation of the Church Council, the ensuing debate, and the final action in the Minutes of the Churchwide Assembly 1997 (excerpted).

Who would go to a doctor or a lawyer who did not engage in continuing education? Arguably, the stakes are higher when it comes the the clergy. Congregations should, therefore, not think of continuing education as a reward or a benefit but as an investment. Mutual ministry committees should discuss continuing education plans with their clergy and support education that will advance the professional development of their clergy and, in turn, advance the ministry.

Sabbatical

Region 8 Continuing Ed Sharing

There has been lots of new postings on the Region 8 Facebook page. It's good to see this much activity, and it is especially good to see us all moving beyond our synodical silos.

Synods across Region 8 hold continuing education events, and, on occasion, the Region sponsors an event jointly. It is often, though not always, possible to join another synod for its event. Be sure to check with the appropriate sponsor. If, however, the event is listed on the Region 8 Facebook Page, you may assume that it is open to clergy from across the Region. Check it out.

First Call Theological Education

CA95.6.55 ...To require, by the fall of 1997, that all newly rostered pastors and lay leaders participate, throughout their first three years of ministry under call, in structured programs of theological education, designed and supervised by their synods, according to churchwide standards;....

FCTE Region 8 Plenary

The Biannual Synod Clergy Continuing Ed Event

Synod Clergy Cont. Ed Events Team Pr. Daniel Collins (PC), Chair Pr. Ben Erzkus (MVMC)   Pr. Patrice Weirick (OKVC) Pr. Devin Ames (UOVC)

The Planning Team

At the Winter 2018 Synod Clergy Cont. Education Event, the presbyteral college elected to establish a committee for the design, planning, and management of synod sponsored clergy continuing education with one representative from each of the four conferences. Synod Clergy Cont. Ed, as we currently have it configured, provides approximately 12-17 CEUs per year, assuming attendance at both events.

Serving on the the Continuing Ed Committee we have The Revs. Daniel Collins (PC), chair, Ben Erzkus (MVMC), , Patrice Weirick (OKVC), and The Rev. Devin Ames (UOVC) with Bp. Riegel as an advisory member and staff support. Synod clergy should feel free to talk to their conference's team member about ideas and concerns related to continuing ed.

Thanks are owed to The Revs. Christine Olson (past chair), Sherri Schafer (past chair), Paul Schafer, Casey Linemann, Ryan Heycock, Ruth Bullwinkle, Kevin Mackey, Randy Richardson, Sally Bartling, and Darick Biondi for their now concluded service on the team.

Fall 2025: Spirits, Angels, and Demons in the Bible

The Fall 2025 Synod Clergy Continuing Education Event will be held 21-23 October 2025 with The Rev. Dr. Reed Carlson, Assistant Professor of OT/Hebrew Bible, Sewanee Seminary, presenting on "Spirits, Angels, and Demons in the Bible." Location is yet to be determined, but an attempt is being made to locate the event somewhere in the southern tier of the synod. Check back this summer for details.

Winter/Spring 2025: Bonhoeffer and Nationalism

Dr. Terese L. Smallwood, Dean of United Lutheran Seminary and the James Franklin Kelly and Hope Eyster Kelly Associate Professor of Public Theology, was the speaker for the Winter/Spring 2025 Synod Clergy Continuing Education Event on the theme "Bonhoeffer and Nationalism." The event was held at Cacapon Resort State Park, 5-6 February 2025.

From Dr. Smallwood

Dr. Smallwood writes,

Michael P. DeJonge in the frontispiece of his manuscript, Bonhoffer on Resistance: The Word Against the Wheel, wrote “A recent surge of references to Dietrich Bonhoeffer in the context of political resistance shows that the story of his struggle against the Third Reich continues to animate imaginations across a broad political spectrum.” (2018) This could not be truer in light of uncanny modes of resistance seen in the last decade of American politics. Moreover, the use of Bonhoeffer’s story to justify various and sundry acts of resistance gives rise to interesting dialectics. On the scholarly front authors such as Eric Metaxas have received critiques because of shallow attention to the full story such that his recent docudrama was trashed as suspect propaganda.

Consequently, a deep dive into the true story of Bonhoeffer beckons all to examine his formation historically, theologically, socially, politically, and spiritually. Over the course of 5 lectures, Rev. Dr. Teresa L. Smallwood will examine these pillars of Bonhoefffer’s formation from the theme “Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the Idea of Religionless Christianity.” Each lecture will separately treat the sub themes: early years, social and intellectual formation, latter years, cultural influences, and Holy anger.

• Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together, (Harper One, 1954)
• Deitrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, (MacMillan, 1959)
• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Letter and Papers From Prison, (Touchstone, 1997)
• Charles Marsh, Strange Glory: The Life of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, (Vintage Books, 2015)
• DeJonge Bonhoeffer’s Theological Formation (Oxford, 2012)
• Heinz Eduard Tödt, Authentic Faith: Bonhoeffer’s Theological Ethics in Context, (Eerdman’s, 2007)
• Reggie L. Wiliams, Bonhoeffer’s Black Jesus: Harlem Renaissance Theology and an Ethic of Resistance, (Baylor University Press, 2014)
• The Cambridge Companion to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, John W. deGruchy editor, (Cambridge University Press, 1999)
• Ferdinand Schlingensiepen, Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945: Martyr, Thinker, Man of Resistance, Trans. Isabel Best (T&T Clark International, 2010)

Past Events

Peruse our past events and get a sense of what we do.

• "Preaching in the Wake of Mass Trauma" with The Rev. Dr. Kimberly Wagner
• "Mark on Mark" with The Rev. Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman
• "Walking with God Today: What's Next?" with The Rev. Harold "Jake" Jacobson
• "My Burden Is Light: Making Room for Jesus in Preaching" with The Rev. Dr. Craig Satterlee
• "Grief" with Sr. Carol Riley
• "St. Paul and early Christianity" with The Rev. Dr. Mark Vitalis Hoffman
• Hybrid Church with The Rev. Dave Daubert
• Best Practices for Live Streaming with The Rev. Matt Day
• Best Practices for Pandemical Worship with The Revs. Susan Claytor, Linday Muhly, Ian Reid, and Micahel Wright
• Racial Sensitivity raining with Ron Scott
• Creative Christian Education and Empowering Families in Times of Covid with The Rev. Jess Felici

Boundaries Training etc.

The Churchwide Assembly has periodically ordered (or encouraged) synods to offer training on a variety of topics: boundaries, anti-racism, diversity, etc. Clergy in the synod are free to secure such training where the wish. The synod may, under some rules, be required to offer, but there is no rule that the clergy must take training under the synod's programming. At the same time, nothing prevents the synod from identifying sources for training outside the synod. United Lutheran Seminary offers a variety of training sessions. For more information and access to an à la carte menu on the registration site, click here. Clergy of full-communion partners should follow whatever norms are required by their respective denominations, but they are most welcome to partake of offerings provided by Lutheran entities.