Together in Ministry is designed to renew, revitalize and nurture pastors and other ministry professionals through a combination of small group and large group gatherings. Its intent is to nurture and stimulate participants spiritually, intellectually, and academically, as well as to provide peer support and collegiality.
Goals of Together in Ministry
Promote health and wholeness in mind, in body, and in spirit for the church's ministry leaders throughout the Northern Plains region.
Support and strengthen participants with a variety of holistic renewal experiences in both small and large group settings.
Help pastors and ministry professionals remain refreshed, informed, and healthy emotionally, spiritually, and professionally.
How Does Together in Ministry Work?
Colleague Groups: Pastors and other ministry professionals meet monthly in small Colleague Groups close to home to pray together, do text studies, book studies, or whatever each Colleague Group decides will be most beneficial to that group. Colleague Group Facilitators are program participants who are trained and supervised to strengthen and support their facilitation skills. Participants give and receive support as well as worship, pray, study, and build caring relationships. For one group's perspective on Colleague Groups, click here.
If you do not feel the need to participate in these Colleague Groups, however, you are welcome to participate in the TiM large group gatherings.
Large Group Gatherings: Large group gatherings are intended to provide opportunities for the participants to "fill their cups" and be nurtured in a way that most suits them. We are planning a late summer gathering with intentional time for worship, reflection, intellectual pursuits, and collegiality. Our second large group gathering will be in conjunction with the Proclamation on the Plains Conference in early January. This gathering will consist of a three night stay with evening sessions offered by a resource person from Luther Seminary, and morning sessions which will offer time for reflection, study, and conversation.
Together in Ministry Leadership
A Leadership Team and Program Coordinator Suzanne Hansen, AiM, recruit participants, establish policies and programming, and devise large group topics based on participants' needs and requests. The goal of Suzanne Hansen and the Leadership Team is to listen to and respond to the grass roots needs of TiM partcipants and work to meet those needs.
As you consider becoming part of the program, talk over the commitment with the leadership of your congregation or sponsoring institution. When you have made the decision, we ask that you and your leadership representative sign a covenant for Together in Ministry.
A program fee of $200 is charged each year for participation in the program.
The signed covenant and your check for the program fee can be mailed to Luther House of Study, Augustana College, Humanities Building, 2001 S. Summit Ave., Sioux Falls, SD 57197.