1001 apprenticeship opens doors for new worshiping community leaders
Part-time program pairs emerging church planters with coaches, cohorts and community
The 1001 New Worshiping Communities movement is inviting leaders to apply for this year’s Apprenticeship Program, a nine-month, part-time initiative designed to equip and sustain those called to start new expressions of faith outside the walls of traditional congregations.
Applications for the 2026-27 cohort are now being accepted on a rolling basis, with a priority deadline of April 1.
The program, administered through the office of 1001 New Worshiping Communities within the Interim Unified Agency, is built around three core pillars: one-on-one coaching, a weekly cohort, and hands-on guidance for launching or growing a new worshiping community. The goal is not simply to train church planters in isolation but to surround them with ongoing relationships and accountability throughout the journey.
“The trainings, resources, connections, and, most importantly, the community, were very empowering,” said the Rev. Rola Al Ashkar, who leads Iama Embodied Ministries, a conscious community rooted in embodied spirituality, trauma-informed practices, and integrative theology in North Central California Presbytery “It was a weekly reminder that I don't have to do it alone, and I miss it every day.”
Each apprentice is matched with a coach drawn from one of the largest and most diverse networks of trained coaches. Coaches meet regularly with participants to help them navigate roadblocks and identify the next steps tailored to their specific ministry context.
Every Thursday for nine months, cohort members gather via Zoom, rotating through spiritual direction, conversations with established new worshiping community leaders and dialogical training. For many participants, that weekly rhythm becomes a lifeline.
“Talking with other new worshiping community leaders who are doing this work brings an immense sense of relief and encouragement because they understand how challenging it is,” said Julie Gvillo, a Reiki master and commissioned pastor through the Presbytery of Giddings-Lovejoy who leads A Place of Grace. She added that the financial support the apprenticeship program provides — including a stipend and coverage of coaching costs — has also offered meaningful relief to leaders who often work without the resources of an established congregation behind them.
Beyond the weekly video gatherings, the program also brings participants together for in-person retreats, which many describe as transformative.
“The retreats have been the best part for me, getting to connect with the others in person,” said the Rev. Alicia Vela Anderson from Chicago. “The connection to others has really broadened my imagination for what my ministry could become.”
The diversity of the cohort itself is frequently cited as one of the program's most formative features. Participants come from a wide range of ministry contexts — from yoga studios to music communities to neighborhood gatherings — reflecting the breadth of what 1001 NWC envisions as the church.
“To see the wide variety of people involved has been very uplifting — to see the future kingdom of heaven reflected in the hearts and faces of my fellow cohort,” said Steve Zeoli, a filmmaker and founder of Rainmakers Community. “All these caring, thoughtful, wonderful people? An utter joy.” Zeoli's new worshiping community is one of 32 new worshiping communities supported by the New Church Development Commission of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta.
The program is led by the Rev. Sara Hayden, director of apprenticeships and leadership cohorts for 1001 NWC and host of the movement’s podcast, “New Way.” Hayden brings firsthand experience to the work of guiding emerging leaders through the complexities of church planting. More than 200 new worshiping community leaders across the country have turned to the program and its cohort network for mutual support and continued training.
Whether a leader is just beginning to discern a call or already gathering a community, the program meets participants where they are — helping them establish vision, develop gathering strategies and set achievable goals.
For those navigating a ministry that doesn’t fit neatly into conventional church structures, the apprenticeship offers something especially rare: the sense that they are not alone.
“The reflective work we are encouraged to do is meaningful and inspiring,” Gvillo said.
Those interested in applying for the 2026-27 cohort can download an application at newchurchnewway.org or contact Hayden directly through the site.
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