The Center for Pastoral Effectiveness 

Areas of Consultation

Leadership through a Different Lens—The Center works with clergy, staff, and other church leadership to help them explore a different lens through which to see and understand mature congregational life and the importance of the functioning of leadership in the health of the body.

Clergy Retreats—The Center offers opportunities for clergy retreats for those needing time away from the church to reflect on their ministry and calling. A retreat may include any or all of the following components: counseling, spiritual direction, coaching, and time for reflection. We design the retreat to fit the needs of the individual.

Coaching—Through coaching, The Center provides an outside resource for clergy to help them think through, reflect on, and process issues in their lives and ministries.

Reflecting on and Planning for the Future:
Being a Learning Congregation— As congregations grow and change, they often find themselves rethinking who they are and the future they are being called to create. In a non-linear world, how do we think about the long view? How do we plan for the future in an uncertain world? At the Center, we assist congregations and their leadership as they reflect on who they are, the future they are being called to create, and the people with whom they are called to create that future.

Conflict Transformation— The Center offers guidance to help congregations respond to anxiety and conflict in a healthy way that can lead to growth and transformation.

Deep Congregational Conversations For Systemic Change— Real change often begins with the simple act of people talking to others about what they care about and listening to what holds meaning for others. When this happens, not only are words communicated, but souls are touched and changed. Part of our work involves helping communities have these deep conversations in a manner that is safe, reflective, helpful, and can assist the community in moving forward. Part of The Center’s ministry is designing processes and helping develop a safe container for these conversations to happen.

Creating Healthy Congregational Communities—Explores the marks of healthy, mature congregations and how both clergy and laity foster a vital church community.

The Essential Pentagon

Our Purpose

The Center for Pastoral  Effectiveness offers an intentional and disciplined process of self-definition, vocational identity, and spiritual formation that will help sustain ministers in ministry. Pastors are provided opportunities to enhance, refresh and refine the skills that are necessary to maintain not only their ministries, but also their own well-being.

Pastoral formation involves the weaving together of five essential elements that maintain ministers in effective ministry, move them up the scale of differentiation and elevate their understanding of the call of God in Christ.

The Essential Pentagon of The Center for Pastoral Effectiveness is grounded in a deep appreciation for the ongoing formation of a pastor’s own spirituality and anchored in a serious understanding of biblical theology. Foremost is a respect for the covenant we hold in common. Colleagues in ministry need a “safe place,” where they can count on confidentiality, experience trust, express tentative thoughts and ideas on which they are still working, and share some of their deepest hurts as well as their most sparkling moments.

What makes the Center’s process different is the part systems thinking plays. Systems thinking offers a holistic view and deals with the ways we perceive things. The process unleashes dynamics that lead to lasting change and a sense of mission and purpose.

Clergy Education, Formation and Renewal Experiences

SoulJourney

SoulJourney is for all ministers following their completion of seminary. Its purpose is to aid those out of seminary in the transition from the academic setting to the world of the local church. This program includes deacons and elders. Through SoulJourney, relationships are cultivated, soul is stirred, collective wisdom is gleaned, spirit is nurtured,  and guidance is offered. The Board of Ordained Ministry pays the tuition for probationary members of the Conference.

Clergy Peer Groups

Parker Palmer comments, “Can we help each other deal with the inner issues inherent in leadership? We can, and I believe we must.” Clergy Peer Group is  designed as a healthy group experience providing a model and an opportunity for clergy to be involved in healthy, safe, small groups that offer support, insight, and group processing of unresolved issues. The paradox of the Clergy Peer Group, like any healthy community or model for group work, is to “protect each other’s aloneness and solitude of the soul,” while staying in deep connection. As this opportunity lends itself, we invite you to be part of this experience. Together we can journey into leadership and lead from and to our deepest Self and God.

WHAT THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE MINISTRIES
OF THE CENTER FOR PASTORAL EFFECTIVENESS ARE SAYING...

What are people saying about the Clergy Peer Group?

What a refreshing place and space to have...a time to gather with colleagues who become morefriends, a circle where fears of mistrust and competition can be exchanged for tools to grow and share the journey, and an opportunity for the call to be discerned more clearly for the road and challenges ahead...I am thankful for this experience!

It was a great comfort to find out that my struggles were similar to others in the group.together brought forth fresh insights for me. We had some holy moments, as a member of the group shared a need and received loving support and genuine care.

I found the model fresh and supportive, for it did not allow for unsolicited advice or allow us to try to fix each other. We listened carefully and reverently, asked questions, and offered what we could. Each time, the wisdom of the group was invaluable.

The experience of being part of a clergy peer group was a good one for me. Just the social aspect of it was valuable for a retired person who is somewhat "out of the loop."Yet it was so much more than just social. The review of systems was helpful. Yes, I know we've all had it and know about it but there is always something more to be learned about systems and it's also good to be reminded of what I already know.

What are people saying about SoulJourney?

SoulJourney is a life changing engagement with God through a community of peers.

SoulJourney was an invaluable experience as a part of my formation for ministry. The planning of the time, the pacing, the combination of large and small group activities, the wisdom and experience that have been pulled together: All worked together to make for a most valuable experience.

In ministry, we deal with conflict and other systems issues. SoulJourney gave me tools that I use every day in church, life and in many family relations. Thanks!

SoulJourney allowed us, as participants, to bond with peers who were experiencing and embarking on similar adventures of ministry. We were able to share together, cry together, plan future ministries, encourage each other, pray together, affirm each other as individuals and as a small group in covenant. We met as strangers yet brothers and sisters in Christ and we depart as friends in a connectional system where we are bonded in ministry and love.

What are people saying about the Center’s work with congregations?

Dr. Craig Gilliam's strategic planning leadership exceeded expectations. As one church leader put it, "He makes it look so easy. The good ones always do.” I would add, his skill and expertise allowed our congregation to determine necessary steps for the future. Decisions made and questions raised were from the ground up, not the top down. It was wonderful!

Dr. Gilliam was exquisitely sensitive to the people gathered, and he very carefully nudged people along in the process of discerning and visioning so critical to theof congregations.enabled leaders and members of congregations to do their own homework and thinking without being obtrusive or paternalistic.was very intuitive and helped leaders and church members wade through the mire to the place where they couldforward with confidence.

….The way Dr. Gilliam tailored his work to our particular situation surely made his job a lot tougher, but I think it was very effective. In addition, I was pleased with the way he honored the spiritual dimension of our work together. He handled it all in a prayerful and reverent manner, and that’s precisely what we needed.

Dr. Gilliam provided a calming presence that allowed an atmosphere of helpfulness to permeate our church. His style allowed people to open up and be very honest. People did not feel condemned or patronized for their views.

Our History

Once upon a time there was a dream to develop The Center for Pastoral Effectiveness for the purpose of maintaining ministers in ministry. In 1990, through the leadership of Bishop Bill Oden and Rev. John Winn, the dream materialized. Rev. Winn was its  visionary, founding director for approximately 12 years. Under his creative leadership and through the support of Bishop Dan Solomon and Bishop William Hutchinson, the Center became a national model, serving the    Louisiana Annual Conference and other Annual Conferences across jurisdictional lines. Through the support of the Louisiana Annual Conference, The Center continues to grow, adapt, and expand its ministries to the Louisiana Conference. Rev. Winn is now serving as Mentor Emeritus, and Dr. W. Craig Gilliam serves as the Director.