The New York School of Ministry offers certificate programs that prepare individuals for various forms of ministry. With the support of their home church, anyone can enroll in the Supply Preacher Program. The certificate programs that educate and form persons for authorized ministry are designed to provide Committees on Ministry with a rigorous, supportive, flexible, and affordable alternative educational path, so that Members in Discernment, for whom seminary is not an appropriate option, can develop their gifts, hone their skills, deepen their knowledge, and mature in their pastoral identity. Enrollment in these programs is limited to the NY Conference (because of administrative constraints); however, we welcome non-NY Conference participants into our courses and our Word & Sacrament practicum (expecting that the COM or the Conference will administer other elements of the program). We gladly work with Committees on Ministry and Conference staff to support all non-NY Conference participants taking our courses and practicum sessions.
Supply Preacher Certificate Program runs from September to June and is entirely webconferenced. It is designed for lay people who want to learn how to preach and lead worship 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 persons for any form of authorized ministry. The program will be offered next in September 2020.
Click here for a pdf with a full description of the program.
the Christian Studies program, with her mentor
Rev. Sue Forsyth.
The Christian Studies Program is for individuals who want to deepen their understanding of the Christian faith
The Christian Leadership Program is for those discerning a call to authorized ministry, when their Committee on Ministry decides that it provides the appropriate educational and formational path (as preparation for lay ministerial standing or as the pre-requisite for the Word & Sacrament Program for those preparing for ordination)
The Ministry of Word & Sacrament Program is for those discerning a call to ordained ministry in the UCC, when their Committee on Ministry decides that it provides the appropriate educational and formational path. The Christian Leadership Program is the pre-requisite for this program.
of the W&S Program, Craig Wilson, participant
in the W&S program, Becky, Rev. Dr. Marjorie
Purnine, and Rev. Marna Pritchard, first grad
from the Word & Sacrament Program.