UCC Church Educator Certification Updates

 
 

SUMMER 2010

        At its Spring 2010 meeting, the Local Church Ministries Board of Directors voted to “affirm the end of the program of Certification for Church Educators, while giving thanks for the many ministries which were recognized and enabled by the program over its forty years of existence.” They also affirmed that those who are currently Certified Church Educators in the United Church of Christ will be granted life-long certified status. Click here to read the entire resolution.

        The Board encouraged “all settings of the church to continue to provide...events which empower laity and clergy to offer teaching and faith formation ministries.”

fall 2010

         AUCE representatives met at the Church House in Cleveland with David Schoen, Minister and Team Leader of the Congregational Vitality Ministry Team, and Christy Trudo, Minister for Parish Life from the Parish Life and Leadership Ministry Team, in September to discuss educational/formational standards and paths for training, both for lay educators and for those who respond to a call to educational ministries through commissioning or ordination.

        The main outcome of this conversation was the task of revising The Professional Church Educator’s Guide, which will be undertaken by the Association of United Church Educators. This new Guide will develop a preparation path from discernment to formation in ministry to a call and/or employment. It will provide local church educators and youth leaders with guidelines for the skills and knowledge needed, where to find courses and training programs, as well as helpful information for local churches that are looking to hire such persons. Education and experience recommendations, job descriptions, salary guidelines, interview questions, and the like will help educators, local churches, conference ministers, Committees On Ministry, discernment committees, Christian education boards, small church pastors, etc. to foster excellence in educational and formational ministries throughout the United Church of Christ.

        Once completed, this new Guide will be available online and its availability will be advertised widely throughout the United Church of Christ. The “unveiling” of this completely revised and updated resource will be at General Synod in July 2011.


        AUCE will continue to post quarterly updates on its progress both here and in The Education Connection E-mailing which is sent to members of AUCE.

WINTER 2011

        AUCE is creating a proposal for funding a new incarnation of UCC Church Educator Certification. Due to the shifts in educational ministry leadership in the UCC, we are encouraging those who recognize a call to this ministry to pursue becoming a commissioned minister. However, for those who don't necessarily feel a call to commissioned or ordained ministry but do want their training for this ministry recognized by the denomination, we will create a credential that focuses on this particular need. We will announce the results of the proposal here in late spring.

SPRING 2011

        The revision of the former Professional Church Educator’s Guide is now available to all online here on the AUCE website. The Association of United Church Educators has brought together the collective wisdom and experience of several of its members to bring you the best practices of congregations throughout the United Church of Christ in this third revision entitled, Called to Educational and Formational Ministries: A Guide for Local Churches, Educators, and Youth Workers. The purpose of this publication is twofold:

  1. 1.to help church educators and youth workers who are seeking a call to a local church in their areas of expertise, and

  2. 2.to assist local churches in securing the best possible candidates for their Christian education and faith formation ministries.


     Much of the information available in this Guide will become the basis for a new UCC Certification program which will serve the needs of today’s educators and youth workers in the church. A proposal for funding has been sent to the Congregational Vitality & Discipleship Ministry Team. After we hear back from them, we will begin work on UCC Certification for Educators as we are able.