Supply Preacher Certificate Program 2015-2016

This one-year program is for lay people who want to learn how to preach well, so that they can act as supply preachers (able to fill in when ministers are ill or away) in their congregations or in their associations. This program does not prepare individuals for any form of authorized ministry.

The program consists of sixteen 1 1/2  hour webinars offered twice each month and two 3 1/2 hour practicum sessions at the end of the program.  There are reading/writing components for each session. The writing assignment for each session is generally a 5 page sermon that is due one week after the class session. Assignments receive written comments from the instructor and a grade. At the end of the program, the student, the student's pastor, and the Committee on Ministry of the student's association will receive a narrative final assessment.  Committees on Ministry use that final assessment to decide whether to put the graduate of the program on their supply list.  

Pre-Requisite: Recommendation from home church                                                              Maximum enrollment:  15 students (5 auditors)                                                                 Registration Deadline:  August 21, 2015                                                                                          Minimum enrollment: 8 students. If we do not have the minimum number of students on August 22, the program will be cancelled.

Texts: We suggest buying used books at amazon.com or abebooks.com.

                 The Preaching Life, by Barbara Brown Taylor (Cowley, 1993) 

                 Understanding Christian Doctrine, by Ian S. Markham (Wiley-Blackwell, 2007)

 The New Testament: A Very Short Introduction, by Luke Timothy Johnson (Oxford, 2010)

 The Old Testament: A Very Short Introduction, by Michael Coogan (Oxford, 2008)

 Other assigned articles (web articles and pdfs)                                                            

Cost: NY  Conference Students $450 (Auditors: $300), plus books. 

Students outside the NY Conference: $450 (Auditors: $300), plus the Distance Learning Support Fee of $135, plus books.  Students are expected to have webcams (which can be purchased for less that $30 at stores like Target). 

 

Distance Learning Support fee: Distance Learning requires technological support. For webconferenced programs, students outside the NY Conference are welcome.  The NY Conference subsidizes distance learning for our students; students outside the NY Conference should ask their conferences or participating denominations to provide that support (otherwise, it is the student's responsibility).

 

Technology: WebEx is used, so that the webinars can be recorded and a link to the recordings sent out to the students.  Students will be expected to have webcams. If uncertain whether your computer can handle web-conferencing, email Marjorie Purnine at mpurnine@uccny.org or call 315-446-3073 x16 to set up a test.

 

Questions:  Contact Marjorie Purnine, at mpurnine@uccny.org or 315-446-3073 x16.

 

A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be received to process your registration. Our payment schedule is $225.00 (and the Distance Learning Support Fee for students outside of the NY Conference) due by November 30 and the full $450.00 due to the NY Conference by March 31.  Payments can be made at www.uccny.org click on the donate button, enter amount on the NYSOM line and specify the course/student name. If paying by check, please make it payable to: New York Conference UCC and mail it to 5575 Thompson Road, DeWitt NY 13214.

Register Now! 

Schedule of Sessions:                                                  Monday evenings: 7:00-8:30pm

September 7:
        Exegesis for Preaching -- Instructor: Marjorie Purnine
        Assignment due September 14

September 21:
        Communicating with a Congregation: Sermon Structure & Delivery -- Instructor: Quinn Caldwell
        Assignment due September 28

October 5:
        Preaching from the Lectionary -- Instructor: Marjorie Purnine
        Assignment due October 12

October 19:
        Preaching the Old Testament - year A -- Instructor: David Cleaver-Bartholomew
        Assignment due October 26

November 2:
        Preaching the New Testament - year A -- Instructor: Jonathan Lawrence
        Assignment due November 9

November 16:
        Christology -- Instructor: Steve Johnson
        Assignment due November 23

November 30:
        Theological Reflection (Methods) -- Instructor: Steve Johnson
        Assignment due December 7

December  14:
        Planning and Leading Worship -- Instructor: Marjorie Purnine
        Assignment due December 21

January 11: 
        Preaching the Old Testament - year B -- Instructor: David Cleaver-Bartholomew
        Assignment due January 18

January 25:
        Preaching the New Testament - year B -- Instructor: Jonathan Lawrence
        Assignment due February 1

February 8:
        Trinity -- Instructor: Steve Johnson
        Assignment due February 15

February 22:
        Preaching the Old Testament - year C -- Instructor: David Cleaver-Bartholomew
        Assignment due February 29

March 7:
        Preaching the New Testament - year C -- Instructor: Jonathan Lawrence
        Assignment due March 14

March 21:
        Ecclesiology -- Instructor: Steve Johnson
        Assignment due April 4

April 11:
        UCC Identity (theology, history, and polity) -- Instructor: Steve Johnson
        Assignment due April 18

April 25:
        The Ethics of Supply Preaching -- Instructor: Jennifer Hamlin-Navias
        Assignment due May 2 

Two Preaching Practicum Sessions (each includes preaching by all participants and feedback offered by all participants) -- Instructor: Marjorie Purnine - date/time TBD in consultation with students

          (The dates for sessions are set: the order of particular sessions may be revised)

Click here for this information in pdf form.