If you have been asked by your candidate's committee or vocation department to participate in a program at The Center for Ministry in the West as a further means of exploring the ordained ministry as a career, this information is intended to help you better understand the program and our role in your denomination's candidate process.

Philosophy

The Center for Ministry in the West is part of the ecumenical church and we, as career counselors, are expressing our sense of ministry through our work.  Our ministry with you is to discern the nature of your call, to identify the skills and strengths you have to offer in your ministry, to discover those areas needing additional attention and work to suggest the steps you might take to grow in these identified areas.  We see ourselves as your advocate.  We resist the idea that we are "gatekeepers," but rather see ourselves as one voice in many as your committee helps discern your call to professional ministry.  Being your advocate means we will help you discover where your contributions can be made.  We will help you develop educational and career goals which can assist you in becoming a steward of the skills and aptitudes God has given you.  We will help you unfold your story about how you got to be where you are, who you are now and what developmental steps you still face.  The candidate's committee of your denomination will make the decision, if they wish, to shepherd you through the ordination process given your background, gifts and developmental level.  Being an advocate, in the Christian sense, means wanting what is best for you and the Church.  This means being honest and forthright in our feedback to you and the committee.  For a small percentage of candidates who come to The Center, it may mean that some will discover that the ordained ministry is not the best place to express their gifts.  In that event, you are counseled regarding other careers which are more suited to you.

Program

Before your Center appointment you will be asked to complete a comprehensive autobiographical questionnaire, medical report, references, provide other academic and professional reports and complete some personality and vocational interest inventories. The autobiographical material is designed to help you and your counselor see your life from an contextual perspective.

Use will be made of vocational and psychological inventories to assist you and the counselor in exploration.  The inventories are valuable in providing suggestions, along with the perceptions of your career counselor.  The results of the inventories are shared with you so that the effort is worthwhile to you personally.  The heart of the entire process is in the quality of dialogue that takes place between you and the counselor.  Your self-exploration can contribute fresh understanding to the meaning of your call.

Report

Following your program and with your written release, your career counselor will prepare a summary report which will be sent to you and your judicatory committee within two months of your program.  The Ministrial Report will assess all candidates on psychological development, emotional maturity, leadership abilities and self-awareness, as well as other areas relevant to the ministry.  During the workshop or individual program, you will have the opportunity to rate yourself on these dimensions in consultation with your counselor.  When the final report is sent to you for approval before being forwarded to your committee, there will be no "surprises" as you will mutually decide together at the end of the process what will be said in that report.

Staff

The career counselors are church professionals with extensive experience in the ministry of the church.  In addition, each has an advanced degree in counseling or psychology.

Registration

For the Two-Day Individual or Three-Day Couple's Program, you will need to do so at least two months in advance so that there is sufficient time to complete the paperwork, testing and reporting process prior to the time your candidates committee expects your report.  The Group Program will be offered on a quarterly basis (provided sufficient registration).  Watch for Group dates on our website and please let us know when you would like to participate so that your place may be secured in advance.

Cost

One-Day Program                          $995
Two-Day Individual Program      $1,695
Three-Day Couple Program       $2,395
Group Program                               $995