Leadership Development Institute
Episcopal Diocese of Central PA
January 2015
Narrative
The Leadership Development Institute Program is designed to bring newly ordained clergy, with a passion for evangelism and mission, into the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. The individuals chosen for the program will be recent graduates from a seminary program. Individuals accepted into this program will be chosen based on their gifts and the identified needs of the congregation(s) where they will be serving. The acceptance of an individual into this program will be contingent upon the approval of their sponsoring bishop and their ordination to the transitional diaconate. Individuals from the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania may be considered for, but will not automatically be accepted into, this program.
The program will consist of a 2-year placement into a ministry situation within the diocese. This ministry situation will be parish-based, but it may encompass more than one congregation using a regional ministry approach. The majority of these ministry settings will be in small, rural parishes within the Appalachian region of the diocese.
In order to participate in this program a parish must be willing for the bishop and newly ordained clergy person to appoint a Bishop’s Advisory Committee that will serve in place of the Vestry. In addition to the Bishop’s Advisory Committee, which will consist of about 5 people, the bishop and newly ordained clergy person will appoint a warden. Any congregation participating in this program will need to understand that they will need to engage in significant ministry within their local setting. Any congregation participating in this program will also need to see that an important part of their congregational ministry will be the training and nurturing of newly ordained clergy for the Church.
A congregation participating in this program must understand that the newly ordained clergy person will need to serve as a transitional deacon for the first part of their ministry. The date of ordination to the priesthood is determined by the bishop of the participant.
During the two-year program period the clergy person and the congregation will work towards specific goals designed to help the congregation become further involved in the following ministries: mission to the local area, stewardship, biblical studies and congregational spirituality. Numerical growth will be seen as a benefit of a focus on the other areas of ministry, not as a primary focus for evaluation of the participant, the congregation or the program itself.
The participating congregation may elect to call the program participant to the rectorship of that congregation, at the conclusion of the two years, if the congregation is able to assume all of the financial requirements of maintaining a full-time rector at that time. A congregation may not call a program participant to be their rector based on expected or projected future growth, even if the parish has experienced growth during the tenure of the program participant.
A congregation participating in this program needs to understand that no guarantee is made by the diocese that a suitable candidate will be found. This program is based on gift assessment. A candidate for this program will need to have a desire to serve in the ministry setting and will also need to have the gifts needed by both the diocese and the individual congregation.
Participants
Needs from Congregations
Rectory – this will allow for financial savings
Must be Welcoming and Inviting
“Would You Want to Live There?” Test
Full Set of Working Appliances
Willingness to have the Bishop become the Rector
Not Imperiled Status
Vestry Replaced by Bishop’s Advisory Council
New Leadership Team chosen by Bishop and Program Participant
Willingness to see a significant part of the parish ministry as the training a new clergy person
A Transitional Deacon will not be able to celebrate the Eucharist for up to 6 months
Parish will need to pay for a supply priest during this time
A new clergy person will make mistakes
Willingness to try new things – especially if they are different from “what we have always done”
Ministry focuses to be:
Biblical Studies, Congregational Spirituality, Stewardship, and Mission
2-Year Commitment
We can’t ask someone to move, only to ‘pull the rug out’ once they arrive
Financial Buy-In
Full Benefits Package (and housing)
Willingness to share clergy ministry with the Diocese
Monthly Seminar
Monthly Mentoring Session
At least one diocesan level ministry
If Using Regional Ministry Model
Willingness to establish regional ministries between all congregations
This may mean developing new ministries
This may mean sharing and enhancing existing ministries
Willingness to discuss and create new models about worship
This may include the use of Morning Prayer
This may include Regional Worship Services
This may include new worship patterns/arrangements/times
Needs from Clergy
Willingness to move to small town(s)
Willingness to work in poor, rural areas in Northern Appalachia
Willingness to invest in self
Monthly Seminar Sessions with Bishop and Dean of Stevenson School for Ministry
Monthly Mentoring Session with a senior clergy-person
At least one diocesan level ministry
Financial Buy-In
Diocesan Minimum Pay (0-4 years category)
With the Housing Supplied Option
2-Year Commitment
We can’t ask a congregation to make significant changes and then leave
Needs from Diocese
Willingness to invest in new clergy
Gifts-based discernment
Needs of the congregation to be considered
Needs of the diocese to be considered
Needs of the potential participants to be considered
2-Year Commitment
Congregation and Participant will have made significant changes, and need support
Institute/Stevenson School for Ministry
Monthly Leadership Seminar Sessions
Clergy Mentor
Visits for Liturgy/Sunday observations
Once a month meeting
Weekly phone consultations/check-ins
Financial Estimate
Compensation Package
Parish Expectations (Benefits)
Housing Supplied $12,300.00 (Approx. Value for Pension Calc.)
Pension $11,000.00
Housing Equity $1,100.00
Worker’s Compensation Insurance $650.00
Professional Expense Reimbursement $5,000.00
Continuing Education $750.00
Medical Insurance $26,500.00 (Standard Dioc. Plan for Family)
Dental Insurance $900.00 (Standard Dioc. Plan for Family)
Total Parish Expectations $45,900.00*
Diocesan Expectations (Compensation)
Stipend $41,000.00
Social Security Offset $4,500.00
Total Diocesan Expectations $45,500.00
Total Package $91,400.00*
*These figures do not include the actual cost to the congregation for supplying the housing. The housing supplied figure is the approximate value of housing calculated at 30% of the stipend. This figure is given as an estimate only. The actual cost for a congregation to provide housing would be calculated by adding routine maintenance costs of the housing with the utility costs. Congregations will need to assess those costs on an individual bases. One of the best ways to assess the suitability of the housing is the simple “Would You Want to Live There?” test.
Potential Congregations for 2015
St. Luke’s, Altoona
St. Stephen’s, Mt. Carmel & Holy Trinity, Shamokin