Principal Trainer

Steve Ayres

Clergy Search Resource:
Assessing Skills and
Discerning Calls

Assessing Skills and Discerning Calls

Theological Perspective of the Search Process
Overview of Appreciative Inquiry
Designing a Transitional Ministry to Support the Search.
Conducting a Congregational
Appreciative Inquiry Summit
Developing Job Requirements
Evaluating Supplemental Written Questions
Evaluating a Structured Interview
Checking References and Past Performance
Assessing Work Samples Such as Preaching and Celebrating
Discernment; Vestry Interviewing and Simulated Vestry Retreat Exercises

Features:

Readily Adaptable to Specific Parish Needs
Copyright Licenses Available for Congregational Use
Augments Adjudicatory and National Church Procedures

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Appreciative Clergy Career Development

Creating Paths to Your Preferred Vocational Future

This program builds on the personal exploration participants engaged in during the Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry program.

In this 2.5 day (15 hrs. CE) you will build on your Appreciative Way understanding to:

Design your preferred vocational future to manifest your passion and purpose.
Learn interviewing techniques and the two appreciative questions to ask every search committee to enable you to make wise, loving, decisions.
Update your Clergy Profile profile to reflect your purpose, passion, and abilities.
Review and interpret parish profiles.
Writing resumes, cover letters and essays.

"The place God calls you is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet."
Frederick Buechner

View Training Schedule and Register for the Career Development Program

Who Should Attend This Program

This program would be ideal for:

Clergy about to engage in a search process.
Clergy who want to reenergize their life and ministry.
Newly ordained clergy who want to establish a career path.

Episcopal clergy will hgave an opportunity to update their
Church Deployment Office profiles during the program.

Continuing Education Credit

This program qualifies for 15 contact hours of continuing education credit.

Because of the personal development aspect of this program, this program does not qualify for licensed Psychologist and Counselor Continuing Education.

Workshop Format

The workshop will typically be conducted in a retreat setting with:

Didactic presentations.
Practice and experiential exercises such as interview training.
Time for personal reflection and synthesis.

Accommodation

Accommodation and facility use fees are extra and are dependent on the training locations and will be specified on the registration forms. Meals between sessions are typically provided for commuters.

Presenters

Rev. Steve Ayres is Vicar of the Old North Church and Dean of the Boston Harbor Deanery in the Episcopal Diocese of Massachusetts.

Steve has thirty years experience as a parish priest including ten years experience in interim ministry. Steve's interest in clergy career development began twenty five years ago with his own need to decipher the Episcopal Church Deployment Office computer profile. He has conducted extensive analysis of the CDO system which has been published in both diocesan and national clergy newsletters.

He has also researched techniques for writing resumes, responding to questionnaires and participating in interviews. Steve uses Appreciative Inquiry to help clergy identify their core purpose and then teaches practical skills for communicating that core purpose to appropriate search committee.

Steve has offered vocational discernment workshops for the Diocese of Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Episcopal Clergy Association, Fresh Start, and the Episcopal Divinity School. He has successfully coached scores of clergy through ministry transitions.

Steve's personal mission is to help clergy navigate the unchartered waters of their vocational journey toward God. He values collegiality, compassion, and clarity.

Rob Voyle is an Episcopal priest, psychologist, and coach. He is the Director of the Clergy Leadership Institute and author of numerous practical resources for applying the Appreciative Way to a variety of church and coaching situations. Rob will be leading the Introduction to Appreciative Inquiry that preceeds the Career Development program