Leadership Certificate Program
We are all anxious to encourage youth to grow spiritually and to explore ways in which their lives will be attentive to justice and peace. The church is a good place for this exploration to happen! However, we are missing enough well trained and experienced youth ministers who can enable and support youth and their group leaders. This new program can help fill the gap!!
The Ministry with Youth (T.E.A.M.) Leadership Certificate Program will be valuable for anyone who wishes to offer authentic, faithful leadership with youth in churches and community settings.
If you are:
- ministry personnel
- a volunteer youth leader in a pastoral charge
- And would like to specialize in youth ministry or build a solid foundation for future youth ministry.
This program is for you!
The Ministry with Youth Leadership Certificate Program will be made up of:
- 4 residential weekend modules over 2 years
- ongoing support for home-based
- practical learning
- supervised participation in leadership
- teams for youth events that draw youth
- from a variety of communities.
Curriculum will include learning in the following areas:
- Transformative models of youth ministry
- Leadership Development, including
- planning and educational theory
- Communication
- Teaming
- Faith formation and spirituality
- Pastoral care
- Ethics and Risk Management
- Self-care
This program is being developed cooperatively by Calling Lakes Centre and the Youth and Young Adult Committee of Saskatchewan Conference, with advice and encouragement from the General Council Faith Formation Unit, Youth and Young Adult Ministries.
The Leadership Team
Leadership will be provided by a team of leaders from Saskatchewan and Manitoba who have significant experience in youth ministry. Some (not all) of these people will be present at each of the residential weekends:
Kent Mohn is a simple guy who likes spaghetti, canoeing, and movies where lots a stuff gets blown up. He brings a passion for ministry with youth, camping and worship. Kent has worked at McClure UC in Saskatoon for several years doing Youth Ministry. He says “I’m living proof that youth ministry leadership has absolutely nothing to do with being cool. Thank God for that…”
Russell Mitchell-Walker is presently in team ministry at Sunset UC in Regina with a primary focus on Children and Youth Ministry. He has extensive experience working with youth at all levels of the church, including congregational youth and young adult groups as well as General Council and Conference youth programming. Russell’s wealth of knowledge and experience is combined with gentle humour and great organizational skills. Priceless!
Sandra Nourse lives in Saskatoon. She supports Youth and Young Adult ministry through her position at Saskatchewan Conference office and is also completing her Bachelors of Social Work at the University of Regina. Sandra brings passion and energy for youth ministry and continuing education and loves sharing these with others.
Shannon McCarthy is presently in team ministry at Central United Church in Brandon,
where her Green loyalties may be encountering Blue and Gold resistance. She
has been deeply connected with youth and young adult ministry for many years, including the last six years as Program Staff with Saskatchewan Conference. Blessed with a creative mind and a strong sense of humour, Shannon adds expertise and experience plus a dash of spice to the Planning Team.
David Gerhard has a passion for music and is a skilled music leader and teacher. David is a professor of computer science at the University of Regina. We are lucky to have him share all of his gifts with the Ministry with Youth program.
Jennifer Krall is a designated lay minister in the United Church with a background in early childhood education and has a passion for youth and family ministry. Jennifer lives with her partner Jason in Regina and works as the Christian and Education Minister at Eastside United and does youth ministry at Grand Coulee.
