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Intefaith Ministry Practicum-
Alumni's encouraged to participate...
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APR - DEC
2007:
2nd
Sundays
2-5pm
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9
Month Course: $400.00 |
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A
9 Month Study Course: Exploring practices and teaching techniques for
successful Interfaith Ministry.
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Course will meet every 2nd Sundayof
the month, April - Dec. 2007: 2-5pm.
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Transitioning interfaith principles
to readiness to lead interfaith services and ceremonies in the community.
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Prerequisite: Completion of the Interfaith
World Religions Course or knowledge of Interfaith practices, lay Ministry
experience or approval of the instructor or/and president. |
For Registration contact:
Rev. Peter Chilstrom, Swami Tapasananda at tapas@accn.org
or 269 543-3951.
Students will "Explore the role of Interfaith
Ministry" and will practice leadership skills for life cycle events,
holy days, spiritual practices, and assisting those in spiritual crisis.
Students will maintain an open journal in which they record insights, opinions,
conflicts, discomfort, joys, spiritual writing, and concerns about ministry.
The practicum leader will read these journal pages.
APRIL 2007: PRESENTERS AND PROGRAMS WILL
BE ANNOUNCED SOON-
Sat: April 15th, - An
Overview of Interfaith Ministry
Several interfaith ministers will share the path they followed to interfaith
ministry, the experience of being recognized as an ordained minister in their
communities, how they utilize their gifts, and the impact of interfaith ministry
in their lives. Students will begin the process of discerning their vision,
mission, and gifts.
Sat: May 20th, - Leading
an Interfaith Service
Examine several formats for interfaith services. Learn the techniques
for developing consistency, theme and the flow of the service. Study techniques
for smoothing over errors in the order, the process, and the readings during
the service. Discover how to establish the mood, theme and flow of a service.
Learn resources for scripture, prayers, and music from the diverse wisdom traditions.
Learn how to recognize Holy days in interfaith settings. Attend an interfaith
service on one Sunday during the nine months.
Sat: June 17th, - Life
Cycle Events: Birth and Initiation Ceremonies
Study the birth and initiation ceremonies from various religious paths.
Learn the meaning, the symbolism, the procedures and the setting. Several
presenters will share about birthing and initiation ceremonies from their particular
faith path.
Sat: July 15th, - Life
Cycle Events: Marriage Ceremonies
Learn how to do the pre-marital questionnaire: the content, the purpose, and
the importance for conducting a smooth inter-religious wedding service.
Discern and prepare for potential conflicts within and between family members.
Examine how to facilitate compromise without sacrificing important faith practices.
Obtain resources for performing an interfaith service. Observe a video
of an interfaith service.
Sat: Aug 19th, - Life
Cycle Events: Illness, Death and Dying
Discover your views of illness, death and dying. Gain sensitivity to the
coping stages of denial, depression, bargaining, anger and acceptance.
Learn how religious beliefs influence the explanation for, response to, and
spiritual practices desired by the person or family. Learn what not to
do at the bedside of an ill person. A speaker who is either suffering
from a terminal illness or who has recovered will present on their experiences
with helpful and not so helpful ministers and medical practitioners.
Sat: Sept 16th, - Funerals
and Mourning
Explore inter-religious ceremonies and practices for funerals and mourning.
Explore possible emotional responses of yourself and those involved in the service.
Learn appropriate responses to the emotional expressions of those present.
Recognize the possibility of family tension, late arrivals, and persons who
do not pay respects.
View documentaries about funeral ceremonies from several faith traditions.
Sat: Oct 21rst, - Challenges
to Hope, Faith and Beliefs (Date to be decided on first day of class)
Become aware of the beliefs and perceptions of various religious communities
to addictions, afflictions, calamity and trauma, betrayal and injustice, and
suffering. Examine how your beliefs affect those with whom you work.
Recognize how religious beliefs can assist in either blaming or healing for
the victims. Examine the views on causality within various religious beliefs.
Experience role-playing that blames or heals.
Sat: Nov 18th, - The
Role of Authority/Ministerial Power
Examine your own comfort with authority. Discover how to empower those
you guide. Explore the use and misuse of power through intention, ignorance,
or collusion by a follower/congregant. Learn to avoid power pitfalls.
Engage in experiential exercises involving subtle and not so subtle power imbalances.
Sat: Dec 16th, - Healing
Services, Meditation Classes, Contemplation and Prayer
Experience the differences between contemplation, meditation, and prayer.
Lead a brief meditation, contemplation, or prayer. Examine the different
forms of prayer within and between religions. Experience inter-religious
chants and music from persons of the Buddhist, Christian, Islam, Hindu, Jewish,
Native, and Taoist traditions.
The Inter-religious
Ministry Practicum will be facilitated by Reverend Sandra Bier: an Ordained
Interfaith Minister, who presently serves as the President of the board and
leadership team at Lakeshore Interfaith Institute, and as a spiritual leader
for the Holland Interfaith Group, Exploring Spiritual Pathways and Vice-President
of IDA in Grand Rapids. She was ordained as an interfaith minister in August
2002 by the All Faiths Seminary International in New York City. Prior
to her ordination, Reverend Sandra Bier, (Sacha), served as a lay minister
for twenty years for Unity Churches in the Grand Rapids area. For the
last thirty years, she has practiced as a psychotherapist and has a part-time
private practice, Sandra Bier and Associates, at Sacred Space in Grand Rapids.
She is the past president and newsletter editor for the Association of Women
Therapists in Grand Rapids. She has a bachelors degree in Sociology,
a masters degree in Clinical Psychology, and has done doctoral work in Counseling
Psychology. You would not regret taking advantage of this program!