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Communities of Practice

We offer two Communities of Practice (COP) programs for pastors  and faith educators all over the state find wisdom and support from colleagues gathered into community. Click the tabs below to learn more about each of these COP groups.

This safe and supportive peer group is just about the best thing I’ve ever done in 18 years of ministry. I have a place now to take issues and frustrations and experiences that I can’t share with anyone else.  It will keep me healthy and make me a better pastor. -Participant

Registration for clergy
Registration for educators

Clergy

Communities of Practice groups will:

  • Be facilitated by a seasoned pastor or experienced therapist
  • Meet monthly for a 2 1/2 hour session, September through May
  • Include eight to ten participants
  • Focus on the practice of ministry and the pastor’s vocation as leader
  • Encourage peer support, care, and reflection

The Conference’s program is organized by Associate Conference Minister Jane Anderson. Cathy Wille, a trained therapist and active, experienced church leader, provides program support for the facilitators and the groups.

Important Things to Know:

  • The deadline for signing up for a group is typically during the first week of September each year
  • Fee for participants is $250
  • Scholarship funds may be available; please download and fill out a scholarship application form (PDF)
  • Let us know that you want to participate by registering online. Participants must sign up each year even if continuing in the same group (link available starting each summer)

Special Notes for Existing Groups:

If you are part of an existing group that has been meeting with a facilitator during the past year…

  • Members of existing groups should register online. Pastors need to re-register each year.

 

Educators

The Christian Education/Faith Formation Commission of our Wisconsin Conference offers a Communities of Practice (COP) program for educators each year as a parallel to the successful COP program for pastors in our conference. We hope you will pause briefly to consider whether you, as a faith formation leader, might benefit. Lay volunteer or paid leaders or staff involved in Sunday school, youth group, or overall education/faith formation work might be supported and enriched by involvement in a COP with others practicing ministry in similar ways.

 

Groups will:

  • be composed of about six Christian educators/youth leaders from throughout the Wisconsin Conference;
  • meet every four to six weeks for three hours at a day/time that is reasonable for those involved;
  • meet at a central location when possible, and use technology to meet remotely when the weather is difficult.

Now is the time to talk with the volunteer or staff person in your church to see if they would like more support and enrichment to better practice their ministry. It will be the greatest gift you and your local church could give them to support them in connecting with others doing faith formation ministry. Please share this information with them. Groups start in September and run though May each year.

 

A community of practice is one that is intentionally focused on interaction and gathering wisdom from the perspectives and practices of group members.

 

There are three necessary interacting dimensions of a Community of Practice.
  • The focus is ministry: There are topics, issues and concerns that form a common domain of interest that creates a bond among participants.
  • The community is essential: Over time, trust develops in these relationships and members come to share their deepest questions, their expertise, as well as their uncertainties. Mutual accountability becomes a way of caring for one another.
  • Knowledge is practice-based: Knowledge within a community of practice is developed and is tested through actual practice as it is refined into common wisdom. Skill develops within the group as it helps its members to craft practices that members can use to address specific issues or the growing edges of their ministry.

Wisconsin Conference Communities of Practice groups for Christian educators are facilitated by people who have served Christian education ministry, and have experience and training in group dynamics and training in the Communities of Practice facilitation model.

 The Communities of Practice program is subsidized by OCWM contributions to the Wisconsin Conference, and participants are asked to make individual contributions of $250 per year. Ideally, this amount is paid through the general budget of the local church where the Christian educator is employed or is volunteering. Scholarship money is available. Please make that request when applying for admission to the program.

 

Contact

Rev. Jane Anderson
Clergy COP
email Jane
920-540-2586

Rev. Lisa Hart
CE/FF COP
email Lisa
608-438-1571

 

Growing in Faith