Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Applications for small church residency program, For Such a Time as This, now being accepted

Applications for small church residency program, For Such a Time as This, now being accepted

Matching process was “touched by the hand of God,” says a current pastoral resident

LOUISVILLE

Elizabeth Campbell-Maleke blesses the 2012 Souper Bowl of Caring meal. —Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Campbell-Maleke.

The application process for prospective pastoral residents is now open for For Such a Time as This: A Small Church Residency—Growing Leaders, Growing Churches.

Launched by the Presbyterian Mission Agency in fall 2009, For Such a Time as This was designed to renew and grow small churches and help them to become healthy, missional congregations. The program pairs small, underserved congregations in rural, small town, and urban settings with recent seminary graduates in a two-year pastoral-residency relationship, during which they are supported and guided by a cluster of pastor-mentors. Since For Such a Time as This began, 22 recent seminary graduates are serving 26 congregations in 10 presbyteries.

“The For Such a Time as This matching process was definitely touched by the hand of God,” said the Rev. Elizabeth Campbell-Maleke, a member of the Class of 2011, who serves the Waverly-Bethel and First (Williamstown) Presbyterian congregations in W. Va. “It has been a gift to see both congregations come together with enthusiasm to discern what God might have in store."

Applicants for the Class of 2013 must be first-call candidates in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) who are willing and able to serve at designated residency sites located within the bounds of the program's 2013 partner presbyteries. Pastoral residents are expected to serve for a minimum of two years as ordained pastors in a call that includes support from pastor-mentors.

Interested candidates for the Class of 2013 are encouraged to visit the website for further information. The completed application and all supporting documents must be emailed to the Rev. Cindy Cushman, program coordinator, no later than March 31, 2013.

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For Such a Time as This: A Small Church Residency—Growing Leaders, Growing Churches is currently seeking gifts to allow the program to continue to reenergize and renew the PC(USA)'s small congregations. Visit the website for further information or to make a gift.

Applications, due January 31, 2013, are available to presbyteries seeking to be partners in For Such a Time as This. For more information or to download an application, visit the website or email Cindy Cushman for further assistance.