The Office of General Minister and President is pleased to announce that more than 50 Disciples preachers have joined several newly created cohort peer groups. These groups are coordinated by the Proclamation Project, an initiative to equip and support Disciples preachers, and offer a variety of opportunities for preachers to connect and learn together.
Two theme-based groups will meet for the next 18 months, with monthly online meetings and two opportunities for in-person gatherings. One group, led by Rev. Rebecca Anderson, is focused on the art and craft of storytelling as an essential act of preaching. The second group, led by Rev. Orlando Scott, is exploring the intersection of technology and preaching as a way of reflecting on the task of proclamation in a digital age.
Two language-based preaching groups are forming in collaboration with the leadership of North American Pacific Asian Disciples (NAPAD) and Obra Hispana. Rev. Dr. Miseon Choi is leading a group of Korean-speaking Disciples preachers, and Rev. Rogelio Martinez is forming a group of Hispanic preachers. Each of these groups will work together over the next year as they develop preaching resources that can be used by Spanish- and Korean-speaking Disciples.
Four workshop-format groups have also begun meeting. Each of these groups of 6-8 preachers will meet online monthly for 12 months. At each meeting, the group will reflect on the task of preaching and provide intentional feedback on sermons presented by group members. These groups will primarily led by the participants, but each has a convener: Rev. Larry J Morris III, Rev. Michael Karunas, Rev. Melissa St. Clair, and Rev. Lee Hull Moses.
Though each of these types of groups has a different style and focus, all are designed to create a community of preachers who can support one another and learn from each other as they grow in their preaching. “I’m delighted that we can offer this opportunity to Disciples preachers,” said Rev. Moses, Executive Director of the Proclamation Project initiative. “Preaching is a holy and life-giving calling, but it can also be very isolating. These groups give preachers a chance to connect as they think intentionally about what they’ve been called to do.” Read more about these peer groups here: https://disciples.org/2024-25-preaching-cohort-groups/
In addition to the cohort groups, the Proclamation Project has a number of other initiatives underway. Online events have brought preachers together for learning opportunities. Last fall, Dr. Stephanie Buckhanon Crowder led a session on preaching in Advent. In February, Dr. Leah Schade offered a workshop on fostering dialogue through preaching in a divisive election year. An occasional Preacher Book Club offers preachers a chance to talk about what they are reading and discover their next good read. This fall, Disciples preachers will gather in Phoenix, Arizona for an in-person preaching retreat – three days of time away to hear good preaching and learn together.
Another focus area for the Proclamation Project is the support of bivocational preachers who may have limited access to the resources of the institutional church because of finances, time, language, or culture. To that end, the Project recently a number of small grants to support bivocational preachers in purchasing books, attending continuing education events, and time away from their non-ministry jobs to make time for sermon preparation. A second round of grants will be available in the fall.
The Proclamation Project is also developing materials for preachers to use in their own contexts. A series on the Psalms, featuring six weeks of sermon prompts and worship ideas, was recently released. Last fall, a sermon series resource on stewardship was created in collaboration with the Center for Faith and Giving. These and other preaching resources can be found here: https://disciples.org/preaching/preaching-resources/ For the Messengers, a monthly email for preachers, launched last summer and has a steadily growing readership. Each issue includes a first-person story from a Disciples preacher and a brief article from a scholar or expert on some aspect of homiletics, as well as news about Proclamation Project events and opportunities.
“The church has already been enriched by the work of the Proclamation Project,” said General Minister and President Terri Hord Owens. “In sharing the love of Christ, the church has something life-giving to offer the world. I’m grateful that we can support Disciples preachers in proclaiming the good news.”
The Proclamation Project is an initiative of the Office of the General Minister and President and is funded by the Lilly Endowment, Inc. Learn more at www.disciples.org/preaching.