Join a Leadership Cohort

Each church leader will find themselves in different stages of ministry life. From the early days of training, starting with their first role, through “mid-life ministry” and on to the final years and thinking about successors. 

We have found it helpful to connect leaders to others in similar stages to help them support one another and explore together the joys and challenges of ministry life. 

So, we have set up some leadership cohorts to provide support, wisdom, insight, and encouragement to people in different ministry stages. Three times a year, each cohort meets online for an hour or so to discuss an issue and share experiences that flow from their particular ministry context. 

For example, a cohort for those who have been in ministry less than five years will next be meeting to discuss change management and how that looks and feels when you are at the outset of your ministry. It is not so much a webinar, where one person imparts their views and others ask questions, but a forum where all can chip in and share their insights as well as ask for input. 

Two other cohorts have been established: those in ministry more than ten years (which will next be discussing strategy, vision, and growing as individuals); and for assistant pastors (which will next be discussing members’ meetings and how that impacts the input an assistant pastor may be able to make). 

The topics generally are suggested by the group, and the leader often suggests some further resources after a discussion. There is no formal membership to these cohorts, but they are open to any who think they fit the descriptor. 

The meeting details go out via email and then it’s ‘turn up if you can’. That kind of flexibility can really help everyone. It gives an opportunity in the middle of a busy ministry life to not only get some encouragement but to provide some help to others. 

If you are interested, or you know someone who may be, contact Hannah Hutchinson at FIEC ([email protected]) and she will send you the meeting details for the cohort you would like to join. 

If there are other ministry cohorts you would like to see start, please let us know.