After the Minister program, you may go on to the next Vocational Expression program level, the Doctor of Ministry program.
Spiritual leadership in our faith tradition is a deepening of service that builds upon your earlier experiences of spiritual direction, healing, counseling, caring for souls, and attending to sacred passages. In this program level you study and practice the spiritual leadership skills of supporting others’ growth and development and building spiritual community, in your chosen area of focus.
Choose one or more areas of focus for your Doctor of Ministry program to reflect your interests and the needs of those whom you serve:
- Spiritual growth
- Education
- Community service
- Healing & reconciliation
- Support & encouragement
- Witnessing
- Work place presence
- Surrender
- Prayer & forgiveness
- Relationship transformation
- Worship
- Congregational care
- Other (you propose)
- You may choose the same focus area as you worked with at the Minister level program, going deeper and applying the leadership skills to that area, or, you may choose a new area of focus, as your life’s calling directs you.
- The essential skills for this level are taught in the class Fostering Spiritual Community. After the Fostering class you move into the Practicum part of your program, as described below.
- Welcome phone call with your Vocational Counselor
- Join Spiritual Directors International. Read Starhawk, The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups, pp. 1 – 239 and Storycatcher by Christina Baldwin, pp. 219 – 235, “Taking Our Place in the Order of Things”
- Pay $175; write and turn in your three page personal story: What about community inspires you?
- First phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Pay $175; turn in your first draft of your five page essay describing your spiritual calling, your focus in spiritual healing and counseling, and your skills development goals
- Second phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Pay $175; start working on a vision and mission for your Spiritual Leadership practicum and draft a preliminary vision and mission statement?; turn in your draft
- Third phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Welcome phone call with your Reflective Practice Counselor
- Pay $175; keep working on the vision for your Spiritual Leadership practicum and draft a plan for realizing the vision; turn in the first draft of your five page essay about your Spiritual Leadership project
- Fourth phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Welcome phone call with your Skills Examiner
- Pay $175; turn in Reflective Practice session prep sheet
- First phone session with your Reflective Practice Counselor
- Pay $175; revisit your first draft of your five page essay describing your spiritual calling, your focus in ministry, and your skills development goals , revise it as needed, edit and polish it, and turn in the final draft
- Fifth phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Pay $175; turn in Skills Demo prep sheet
- First Skills Demonstration session with your Skills Examiner
- Pay $175; put your Spiritual Leadership project plan into action—do the work of the project with those whom you are serving; write up your notes about the work and turn them in
- Sixth phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Pay $175; turn in Skills Demo prep sheet
- Second Skills Demonstration session with your Skills Examiner
- Pay $175; turn in Reflective Practice session prep sheet
- Second phone session with your Reflective Practice Counselor
- Pay $175; keep working on your Attending Sacred Passages practicum vision and plan; when you are ready, perform the ceremony/attend the sacred passage; edit and polish your three page essay about the Attending Sacred Passages project and turn it in
- Seventh & final phone session with your Vocational Counselor
- Pay $175; ; turn in Skills Demo prep sheet
- Third & final Skills Demonstration session with your Skills Examiner
- Pay $175; turn in Reflective Practice session prep sheet
- Third phone call with your Reflective Practice Counselor
- Contemplate and write your personal vows
- Pay $175; turn in Reflective Practice session prep sheet
- Fourth & final phone call with your Reflective Practice Counselor
- Ordination ceremony & celebration with family & friends