A 2-year Cooperative Residence in Ministry Program
With the East and West Ohio Conference Boards of Ministry.
A crucible is a vessel holding something precious, to be refined and reshaped.
CRUCIBLE is a 2-year academy program in which provisional elders and deacons meet together to learn, grow and challenge one another and their churches to become communities of faith for the 21st Century. Your participation in Crucible should be understood as a mandatory requirement (per The United Methodist Book of Discipline and the Board of Ministry) and your local church / place of ministry will be expected to support you in every way possible, including honoring the dates of retreats, 1-day seminars and cohort meetings as a top priority.
You will be a part of a cohort group for the next two years. The groups are arranged geographically to minimize travel time for the cohort meetings, should you decide to gather in person. Electronic means for meetings are acceptable. Participation in the Crucible Program will meet the annual CEU requirement in full. Crucible provides you with a Cohort of colleagues whom you will get to know as you learn together, share experiences, and depend on one another for strengthening as you develop and prepare for Ordained Ministry. Each cohort is assigned a cohort leader who will help shepherd your conversations, listen to your questions and assist you in preparing for your next steps. Your cohort will meet monthly October – May of each year.
Some of those months will include a required training. The schedule for your two-year Crucible journey is attached. When you have a required training scheduled, time is built in for your Cohort to meet so you will not need to schedule a separate gathering for that month unless the cohort desires to do so. Please save these dates on your calendar and do not schedule anything else for these dates.
Event 1 Personal Development October 19-21, 2020
Event 2 Ethnography November 13, 2020
Event 3 Personal Leadership IDI March 8-9, 2021
Event 4 Discipleship (With Laity Teams) April 24, 2021
Event 5 Church Business Seminar September 23 – 24, 2021
Event 6 Church Governance (With Laity Teams) November 13, 2021
Event 7 Achieving Mission and Addressing Conflict March 10-11, 2022
Event 8 Closing May 4, 2022
Event Preparation
Approximately two weeks prior to each event, please look for an email from Susan Thomas. It will contain the content for the upcoming training and the Zoom link to connect. You will be expected to read through the link in its entirety prior to the start of the event. Usually, this can be done within an hour. For your convenience, a Master Copy of all Zoom Calls is attached. We are planning for a hybrid method of gathering for this first year. Your cohort will meet in person and then one person will be designated to connect to the Zoom call for your group. Please identify a location that can accommodate the physical distancing needs and with a good Wi-Fi connection.
Event Cost
The cost for Crucible is $600.00 for two years. The first payment of $300.00 is due by 12/1/2020. The second payment of $300.00 is due by 12/1/2021. You can use your Educational Allowance from your church to assist with this payment.
You will receive information regarding your cohort and leader under separate cover.
A scripture to encourage you through this season that we find helpful is,
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” - John 15:16
We are looking forward to a great year and being with you all in September for your Commissioning and in October for the start of this work.