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Inter-religious Ministry Practicum:
Alumni's encouraged to participate...
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APR - DEC 2007:
2nd
Sundays
2-6pm
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9- Month Course offering information and practice for persons wishing
to engage in inter-religious ministry.
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Course will meet every 2nd Sundayof
the month, April - Dec. 2007: 2-6pm.
SACRED TOUR- DEC 2007:
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Experiencial interfaith services
& outreach, creating an interfaith ministry&community serving
the spirit in all-
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Sunday's Welcomes All--
Completion Interfaith World Religions
Course or knowledge of Interfaith practices-preferred. Auditing
Available...
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For registration contact
President of Institute: Swami Tapasananda at tapas@accn.org
or (269) 543-3951.
The inter-religious ministry practicum is a nine-month
experiencial course offering information and practice for persons wishing
to engage in inter-religious ministry. Meeting the second Sunday a month
from 2-6pm, students will "Explore the role of Interfaith Ministry"
and will practice leadership skills for community events, life cycle events,
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. Participants
will gain deeper understanding by engaging in homework between sessions.
Alumnis, ministers, directors, professionals, are encouraged to participate...On
a Sunday, this course will be open to all-
Sun: 2-6pm,
April 15th: - An Overview of Inter-Religious 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. Part 2). Discover what an inter-religious
ministry entails and whom you serve. Discuss the differences between interfaith
ministry and inter-religious ministry. Listen as ordained interfaith ministers
share their experiences. Learn abouth the path that led them to ministry,
how the religious community perceives them, who they serve and how they
utilize their gifts. Homework: Attend an Inter-religious service before
your next class.
Sun: 2-6pm,
May 20th: - Inter-Religious Services
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. Part
2). Discuss the service you attended. Be prepared to share what you liked
and what you would have changed. Learn resources for scripture, prayers, and
music and chants from Buddhist, Christian, Islam, Hindu, Jewish, Native, and
Taoist traditions. Homework: Prepare an inter-religious service. Search
the web for inter-religious events in your area and e-mail them to your instructor.
Sun: 2-6pm, June 10th:
- Inter-Religious Community Events
Engage in a group experience of presenting an inter-religious service. Discuss
your feelings as you prepared the service and presented. Share the inter-religious
events you found on the web. Learn about the ongoing events in your community
that may require an inter-religious prayer, reading, or speaker. During the
class, discover the joy of editing prayers, songs, and readings to create
and inter-religious environment. Discuss the need for sensitivity when engaging
with religious leaders. Homework: Bring in an edited or created reading
for an inter-religious community event.
Sun: 2-6pm, July 8th:
- Life Cycle Events: Birth and Initiation Ceremonies: Part 2.) Christenings
and Baptisms
Study the role of an interfaith
minister during 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. Part 2). Learn the role of an inter-religious minister
during christenings and baptism. Review sample services. Discuss the importance
of ritual and symbolism during the service. Learn how to assist and prepare
parents adn children for this event. discuss services that you have attended.
Role-play some of htose challenging moments, that ministers have experienced
when working with parents and children. Homework: Write a christening
or baptism service.
Sun: 2-6pm, Aug 12th:
- 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.
Receive samples of and obtain resources for performing an interfaith service.
Observe a video of an interfaith service. Homework: Write a Wedding
Ceremony.
Sun: 2-6pm,
Sept 9th: - Life Cycle Events: Ilnesses, 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. Discuss visitation in homes, hospitals, hospice,
and nursing homes. 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. Homework: Write a paper
on your experience with the loss of a loved one.
Sun: 2-6pm,
Oct 14th: - Challenges to Hope, Faith and Beliefs
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 your 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. Homework: Write a paper about a personal
experience that challenged your faith.
Sun: 2-6pm,
Nov 11th: - 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. Receive
sample funeral programs/services. Homework: Write a funeral or memorial.
Sun: 2-6pm,
Dec 9th: - Healing Services, Meditation Classes,
Contemplation and Prayers
Experience the differences between contemplation, meditation, and 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. Homework:
Prepare for a "sacred journey" -an experiencial pilgrimage, that
will change your life---
DEC 2007: EXPLORE THE SACRED
WAYS OF THE WORLD'S GREAT WISDOM TRADITIONS -- A SACRED TOUR TO CHICAGO---
Join the students of the World's Religions Course: Fri-Sun
on a pilgrimage to see world sacred places with world faith leaders, hosted
by trustees of Mother's Trust/Mother's Place-Lakeshore Interfaith Institute
in Illinois, Mr. and Mrs. Jogi and Indra Makhija. For information please call
president, Swami Tapasananda (269) 543-3951 or Indra Makhija at (630) 655-8822.
All welcome!
The Inter-religious
Ministry Practicum will be facilitated by Reverend Sandra Bier: an Ordained
Interfaith Minister, who presently serves on the leadership team at Lakeshore
Interfaith Institute, and as a spiritual facilitator at Sacred Space 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, 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 bachelor's degree in Sociology, a master's degree in Clinical Psychology,
and has done doctoral work in Counseling Psychology.
