The Moses Project
The mission of The Moses Project is to give rural pastors a vision of ministry that will help them thrive in congregational leadership and in turn, enhance the vitality of the congregations they serve. This program is designed to help them build relationships with and learn from experienced clergy who will guide them through challenges at critical, transitional phases in their early ministerial career. Through a distinct and exceptional professional development program, pastors will receive critical support, develop innovative strategies, and engage in ongoing learning and opportunities for renewal. They will build the very network that will provide them and those they serve with vitality.
The Moses Project is funded by the Thriving in Ministry Initiative of the Lilly Endowment, housed at Grand View University, and in collaboration with the Southeastern and Western Iowa Synods of the ELCA.
What to Expect as a Part of The Moses Project
There are four main goals for clergy who are a part of The Moses Project. Pastors will:
- Rediscover their call after having already been called.
- Learn to manage the fit and misfit between them and their congregation.
- Build uplifting connections with other clergy.
- Receive mentorship relevant to their ministry.
Learning Modules
Each module will take four weeks and is focused on an idea linked to pastors thriving in rural ministry. Although none of these topics will be covered exhaustively in the Moses Project, we hope that each of them would spark curiosity and spur creativity for you to thrive in ministry. Modules may look different from month to month, but we expect approximately three hours a week necessary to engage the Moses Project outside of the on-site times. Possible activities include engaging resources, discussion with cohort members, one-on-one mentorship and Q&A with exemplars in rural ministry.
| Module 1: Rediscovering Your Call |
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This module is created to help you recapture the vision that got you into ministry. We will re-examine the traditional language of internal and external call to help you see your place in what God is doing.
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| Module 2: Knowing Your Community |
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Every community is different. Many people enter into rural ministry having come from a different and sometimes non-rural context. This module is designed to help you understand the setting in which you're called.
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| Module 3: The Community Pastor |
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What if you were the pastor for the whole town? Together we will explore how to be a pastor of word and sacrament outside the doors of your building.
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| Module 4: The Community Church |
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In this module, we will ask the hard questions about how the congregation can be an oasis of health in the midst of the issues that are surrounding community faces.
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| Module 5: The Rural Unchurched |
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Not everyone in rural America is connected to the Church. For this module, we will explore the reasons people have disconnected from the church and what we can do to reengage them.
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| Module 6: Wellness |
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For the month of January we will slow down and examine your spiritual, social, interpersonal, emotional, physical, financial, vocational and intellectual well-being.
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| Module 7: Virtuous Cycles |
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This module will help you better understand the current cycle your congregation is in. You were not the one who created the cycle, so this will help fire your imagination as you live into your call as a pastor of Word and Sacrament.
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| Module 8: Innovation and Change |
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You can innovate. You can lead change. This module is designed to help you imagine how to move the heritage of your congregation forward to face present and future challenges and opportunities.
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| Module 9: Beyond the Jordan |
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After having experienced the whole Moses Project, it's time for you to wade into areas that matter to you and chart the course for your next steps in ministry.
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The 2020-2021 Cohort has been filled!
However, we are now accepting applications for our 2021-2022 cohort beginning in August of 2021. This program is expected to fill quickly as well, so please do not hesitate to apply!