Personal Care and Leadership Development

PERSONAL CARE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

The Western Canadian District is convinced that healthy pastors make for healthy churches. Parker Palmer said, “Self-care is never a selfish act, it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others.” In other words, nurturing emotional and spiritual health is essential to effective ministry. To that end the WCD provides numerous resources & opportunities to help you grow or in some cases, to even recover your joy, peace and love for Christ & His work.

Click to enlarge. Please click here for a downloadable Index of Personal Care & Development Resources.

Care and Support

Personal Care and Leadership Development

Marriage Retreats held at Kerith Creek Retreat Centre. Contact your district coach if you’d like to learn more about this experience. Pastoral Care Pastors are available to discuss life and ministry needs. Contact your District coach to receive more information.

Our Annual Prayer Retreat happens in early November in Banff. This is a wonderful time where the family comes together to experience God’s presence, enjoy rich fellowship, get some rest and relaxation and have fun!

Private Retreats: We offer various sites for personal renewal retreats (Camp Nakamun & Fairhaven) These can be booked directly with each retreat provider. The District will offer subsidy upon request.

Networking

SPN: Peer based affinity groups that meet monthly/bimonthly for the purpose of accountability, support and encouragement.

Pastor’s Wives Network Coordinator Elizabeth Chotka serves our district in this capacity to ensure there is a culture of support and encouragement for our pastor’s wife.

Affinity Groups: Clusters of leaders from Women’s, Youth and Children’s ministry connect throughout the year: check our website for upcoming events or contact info.

Rural Church Pastor’s Network: Designed for rural pastors, events occur regionally throughout the year. (www.ruralchurchpastorsnetwork.com)

Chaplains: We have networking opportunities available for our Chaplains, including our annual Chaplaincy Forum. For more information contact Don Neufeld.

Coaching

Personal Ministry Plan: Visit our Pastoral Effectiveness page for more information.

Ministry Match: A computer based evaluative tool (professional and lay versions) uniquely developed to measure the elements of an individual’s life that are directly related to Christian Ministry. Contact our office if you would like to complete a Ministry Match Assessment. The costs for these are $50 for a professional assessment and $20 for a lay assessment.

Counselling

Counselling Services: Professional counseling is provided by the District. We take great care in providing a confidential environment for counseling to take place. A request of counseling to the leader’s ministry coach is required for District support in this area.

Retreat Centers: The District has chosen designated sites and services to offer our leaders counseling in the retreat setting.
Fairhaven | info@fairhavenministries.org
Kerith Creek | jerry@kerithcreek.com

Living Waters: Their mission is to serve the local church by assisting in globally educating God’s people in the principles of biblical evangelism; Exhorting them to fulfill the Great Commission; and equipping them with every necessary resource along the way.

Professional Training & Development

Continuing Education Guidelines: The District is pleased to partner with our leaders in supporting them in formal educational pursuits. Refer to our education policy posted on our website to apply and qualify for support.

Leadership Summit Subsidy: The District offers churches the incentive of sending lay people to the annual Willow Creek Leadership Summit. For each staff member a church will send to the event, the District will subsidize the cost of two lay people attending the leadership summit. Apply for subsidy to the District Office.

General Assembly Subsidy: Please contact the District Office for more information.

Sabbatical Guidelines: The District website provides guidelines for churches/pastors considering to enter into a sabbatical experience.

Ordination Program: A two year structured study program that leading to an ordination interview and (if successful) an ordination service and conferring of the title ‘Rev.’ The experience is supervised by an ordination mentor and shared in a cohort relationship with other ordination candidates.

Foundations for Ministry Certificate Program: For our licensed workers without previous theological training, a series of educational experience are available to offer basic theological and ministry related training. Visit the Ambrose website to see which courses are offered.

New Worker Orientation: Each spring the District offers workers, new to our District, a three day retreat experience in which orientation to our District culture and ministry practices are shared.

Covenant Eyes: With so many inappropriate websites and internet temptations, what we do online impacts our lives offline. Covenant Eyes provides internet solutions to protect your integrity online. Contact the District Office for more information.

Life2Go: Offers a full range of health and wellness products and services targeted to the Workplace. Life2Go is designed to meet your specific needs and those of your employees.

Follow Our Transformers

Transformation in Action