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    New York School of Ministry
                2016 Fall Update
October 2016           
In This Issue
Contact Us
NY Conference UCC
5575 Thompson Road
DeWitt, NY 13214
 
For program information:
Rev. Marjorie Purnine
Dean of NYSOM
315-446-3073 x16
[email protected]
 
For help registering
Patti Rodrigues
315-446-3073 x15
[email protected]

www.uccny.org/nysom
Important Dates
Introduction to Christian Theology
Webconferenced course:
Wednesdays: September 7, 14,  21, 28; October 5, 19, 26; November 2, 9, 16; 7-9pm.  
Family Systems and Pastoral Leadership
Webconferenced course: Saturdays: September 10; October 1, 29; 9:30-4:45 (with 1/2 hr. lunch break).
Word & Sacrament Practicum Session 
The Winter Practical Issues in Ministry Practicum Session will be webconferenced on Sat,  Nov 5, from 10am-3pm.
Liturgy and Worship
Webconferenced course: Saturdays: November 12; December 10; January 7, 28; 9:00-2:30 (with 1/2 hr. lunch break). Registration deadline is October 28. 
Fall Learning Event 2016:  November 18-19,  at Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua. Registration deadline is November 3.
NYSOM Information Nights
December 8: 7-8pm.
Email [email protected] if you'd like to join a session.
SAVE THE DATE Spring Learning Event 2017: 
March  17-18,  at Watson Homestead in Painted Post, with Marsha Williams. Registration will open in January.

From the Dean's Desk
  
 
With our fall learning event in Canandaigua, on Nov 18-19, we're continuing our focus on the marks of ministerial excellence that have been found to be correlated with congregational vitality. If you haven't yet had a chance to read the report from the UCC Center for Analytics, Research and Data,  check it out. This fall's mark is "the ability to read the contexts of a community's ministry and creatively lead that community through change or conflict." We're lucky to have Mark Lawson help us hone these skills. 

And, on March 17-18, at Watson Homestead, our spring learning event, which Marsha Williams will lead, addresses another of those important marks: "the ability to mutually equip and motivate a community of faith." 

All are welcome at these learning events. We hope that you can join us at one or both!

  With blessings,     
Marjorie      
Don't Forget to Register for Fall Learning Event on Leading Changing Churches
The registration deadline is November 3, for Rev. Dr. J. Mark Lawson's "Discerning the Body: What We Need to Know about our Churches to Lead Them Effectively through Change." 

Notre Dame Retreat House, Canandaigua
Friday dinner, Nov 18, through Saturday afternoon, Nov 19. 
Cost:  Overnight: $105; Commuters: $50
For the event's schedule, 

This program fulfills 6 hours toward the continuing education requirement for authorized ministers.  Click here for a pdf to share.  For more information or to register go to http://uccny.org/ministries/nysom/24-hour-learning-events/

Fall/Winter Course: Liturgy and Worship 
Although Introduction to Christian Theology and Family Systems and Pastoral Leadership began in September, we're offering a fall/winter course. Liturgy and Worship runs from November through January. There's still time to register. 
 
Liturgy and Worship
This course surveys the history of Christian liturgy, examines the theology of worship and the sacraments, and offers practical instruction to enable participants to make informed choices when planning liturgies. One quarter of the course is devoted to preaching.

Instructor: Rev. Marjorie Purnine, Ph. D.
Dates: November 12; December 10; January 7 & 28; 
Saturdays: 9am-2:30pm    (with 1/2 hour lunch break)
Registration Deadline: October 28
For more information and to register, 

Cost per 20-hour course: 
NY Conference Participants: For Credit $250; Audit $175; Repeat Course Audit $100.  Non-New York Conference Participants: For Credit $275; Audit $200 (plus the Distance Learning Support fee of  $69 per 20-hour course or $133 per semester).

NYSOM Information Night

Does one of our courses look interesting?  Are you unclear as to just what webconferencing is or uncertain about whether your computer can do it?  Join Marjorie on Thursday, December 8, between 7-8pm, from your home computer for a webconferenced information session.  She'll walk you through connecting to our new platform, Zoom, if you need help, and answer questions about educational offerings.  If you're interested, contact Marjorie at [email protected] before Dec. 8. 
Scholarship Gift from Homer Congregational Church

I am so thankful for the support I find throughout the Conference for the New York School of Ministry. At Homer Congregational Church, t he deacons set aside money each year for a seminary; this year, they gave it to NYSOM. Their contribution, in our scholarship fund, makes it possible for people with limited funds to take courses and participate in our learning events.

Helpful Documents at a Click

The Marks for Faithful and Effective Authorized Ministers are useful for those preparing for authorized ministry (MIDs) and for licensed, commissioned, and ordained folks who need a tool to do self-assessment. Click here for the Marks in list form. Click here for the Marks in grid form. 

 

If you're a pastor, noticing a member of your congregation with gifts for ministry, if you're just beginning to discern a call to authorized ministry, or if you're just wondering about our programs, click here to see The New York School of Ministry 2016 Certificate Program Information. Click here for an application for the Christian Studies or the Christian Leadership Programs. For participants enrolled in a certificate program and pastors who might be interested in supervising, click here for Supervised Ministry Information.

 

If you want to understand the authorization process, click here for Section 2 and here for Section 3 of the Manual on Ministry