Equipping 21st Century Leaders for Ministry in a Changing World
A Partnership of the Vermont and New Hampshire Conferences of the United Church of Christ
Ministry21 aims to break down barriers and expand opportunities for discernment and learning for ministry across our two Conferences. Our collaborative effort seeks to:
develop a holistic program of discernment and learning for the whole church community
address the social and cultural realities of being faith-filled people in communities that are increasingly secular
foster a community of learning and collegial connections beyond “classroom and coursework” engagement
strengthen the church by equipping leaders for impactful ministry in the world
MINISTRY21 IS FOR YOU!
Whether you're a seasoned leader or new to your role, we're here to support you in strengthening your church community.
Empower yourself with the skills and knowledge needed to lead your congregation effectively. Our courses cover worship leadership, administrative best practices, financial management, and more.
Immerse yourself in a supportive environment for your discernment journey. Explore your calling and develop the skills needed for ministry. Prepare for ordained ministry with confidence and clarity. Our course offerings will compliment those of other partners in discernment, and be identified with your Formation and Preparation Plans in mind.
Advance your professional development and deepen your ministry skills with our three-year track designed to support you in developing the foundational competency necessary for licensed leadership in the setting that has called or will call you. Engage in additional courses to continue your development and discernment. From pastoral care to innovative ministry models, we have courses to inspire and equip you for effective leadership.
Reignite your passion and vision for ministry with our transformative courses. Explore new possibilities for revitalizing your ministry, developing entrepreneurial skillsets, and establishing vital ministerial programs for the church and the world
Registration Update
Registration for the 2025/26 academic year is now open. Check out our courses below and register before classes fill up!
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SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE
Your Conference Dean can help you navigate through the assistance available to you for the courses offered through this program.
VT CONFERENCE Dean:
The Rev. Susie Webster-Toleno
VTDean@min21.org
NH CONFERENCE DEAN:
The Rev. Stacey Kullgren
NHDean@min21.org
PROGRAM FUNDING
The Vermont and New Hampshire Conferences are each proud and grateful recipients of grants from the Brown Endowment of United Church Funds.
Through these grants and the generous funding through each Conference's Board of Directors and planned giving bequests participation in this program is significantly subsidized. The actual cost for offering a program of this nature, even with minimal staffing hours, is over $1000 per course participant.
A Note About Our Courses
As we seek, through this program, to foster collegiality and connections between churches and leaders within them, our preference is for everyone able to attend class in person to do so. We are asking participants to join us in our efforts by making in-person attendance a priority. Please let us know if this presents hardships, raises health concerns, or might prevent you from registering. It is our hope to have an intern for the year to record classes and, if necessary, manage online hosting.
We ask for active engagement from all participants. We believe this is necessary for establishing a space in to which each person can bring their whole self with courage and vulnerability and know that they will be received by others who are doing the same. Each participant will be asked to identify learning goals for the course and self-identify your learning level. With this information the course instructors will offer appropriate feedback to assist you as you develop skill, grow knowledge, and increase your capacity for ministry in God’s church.
You will be asked to participate in-between our in-person gatherings using the learning management system, MightyNetworks. If you need assistance becoming familiar with this, please let your Conference Dean know. Each instructor will extend a variety of assignments in hopes of meeting the diverse needs of each learner, with those for NHCUCC MIDs created with your academic learning and portfolio in mind. All assignments will be turned in through MightyNetworks. Assessments for MIDs will include comments in each of the courses' applicable Marks for Faithful and Effective Ministers as well as a summary of your online participation and in-class contributions. The final comprehensive assessment statement (grade) will be in-keeping with MESA's guidelines for Competency Assessment (proficient, satisfactory, rudimentary, inadequate).
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develop a holistic program of discernment and learning for the whole church community
address the social and cultural realities of being faith-filled people in communities that are increasingly secular
foster a community of learning and collegial connections beyond “classroom and coursework” engagement
strengthen the church by equipping leaders for impactful ministry in the world