The Agrarian Ministry Class and Certificate will launch in January 2025!
The Agrarian Ministry Class and Certificate will prepare church leaders to teach, lead and inspire their faith communities to steward land in a way that is faithful to our call as disciples of Jesus. Key to this task is the integration of Church Land Stewardship, Creation Care, Food Justice, and Wellness.
Participants will explore agrarian ministry practice and leadership in a contextual story-sharing process with a variety of agrarian ministry content experts and theologians from the Episcopal Church and beyond. We will explore opportunities and options that include church and community gardens, farms, orchards, prairie land, apiaries, wildlife habitat, regenerative landscaping and our watersheds. We will use an Asset Based Community Development lens to discover where and how we are called.
Class: This online class will take place over five months, with eight synchronous Zoom meetings, asynchronous work, and discussion posts. The eight Zoom meetings will be held for 90 minutes on Mondays (6:30-8:00pm ET) from January to April. Subject-area experts will guide discussion and share insight.
Certificate: If the certificate option is chosen, it will include the same eight classes, a final capstone project development, and 3-night retreat at The Procter Center.
Brian Sellers Petersen of The Faithful Agrarian and Jerusalem Greer of the Procter Center, co-founders of the Good News Gardens movement, will convene the certificate program. Skilled practitioners will guide the cohort in their respective subject areas.
Draft Schedule:
January 13: Theological underpinnings
January 27: History & Tradition
February 10: Evangelism & Discipleship
February 24: Churchland Stewardship
March 10: The Rural Factor
March 24: Worship & Liturgy
April 7: Food Justice & Advocacy
April 28: Community Buy-In
Monday, May 12-May 15: Certificate Retreat, 3-nights @ Procter Center
Have questions? Email ssfm@diocesecpa.org.
We’re excited to grow with you in these new ministry opportunities!