Each year we have more than doubled the number of courses we have offered. This fiscal year, (July 2005 – June 2006) we have planned 20 courses. With only one full-time and one part-time staff person, we have maxed our capacity, but continue to offer inspiring, invigorating, diverse course offerings.

Our Lay Theological Education Program offers a core curriculum of courses for laity who are interested in theological education, but can’t get to their denomination’s seminary. Our curriculum consists of 9 core courses which are taught over the span of three years (three courses per year). In addition to the core courses we also offer enrichment courses.

We have been very fortunate to have received through the Upstate New York Synod of the ELCA a substantial Lilly Endowment Grant which under girds our continuing education for clergy through the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Program (SPEP). Our SPEP courses vary in format, time frame, location and topic as we offer a wide variety of courses scattered throughout the greater Capital Region. We try to allow for optimal participation balancing instructor availability with participant needs. From one-day training seminars, to follow-up study small groups, from 20 hour training courses to week long retreats and special interest topics, we offer variety in format as well as content.

While the Lay Theological Education Training Program is intentionally scheduled to offer only three core courses per year, we find a lot of cross over between our courses. Ordained clergy attend our Lay courses and laity attend our SPEP courses. We are very proud of the fact that clergy and laity are attending our courses together. We encourage congregations to come to our courses in teams and in fact provide a discount if three or more come from the same church. This cooperation has allowed us to expand our focus and scope of overall offerings.

Perhaps one of the most significant affirmations of the need and impact of theological education in this region as well as a significant indicator of our organizational growth is the heavy expansion of our course participants beyond the Formula of Agreement denominations. Overall, we have served participants from 18 different denominations or communions.

Continuing education for clergy has been linked to clergy health, church growth, and satisfaction in ministry. Clergy burnout is a major problem. It is estimated that 1400 pastors leave the ministry each month, many of them through termination or retreat-for-self preservation.[1] Theological Education is has been linked to spiritual growth and revival. Richard Foster claims study is one of the central ways God uses to change us. He says we may be doing everything right, but if we are not continuing to learn and study, we may remain unchanged.[2] Donald Whitney, a well-known Baptist pastor and professor says that nothing contributes to spiritual growth more than the persevering practice of the Christian spiritual disciplines, among which are Christian learning and study.[3]

92% of those turning in a SPE course evaluation July 2004 – Jan. 2005 said our courses met or exceeded expectations. (30% said the course was better than expected!).
97% said the course information was helpful and relevant. We have a consistent pattern of very happy course participants. We also have a consistent pattern of repeat participation. Even though we are very young, already last year, 57% of participants in previous courses returned for another course, 29% returned for two or more courses, 6% have returned for 3 programs, and 4% have returned for four or five programs! Allow us to toot our own horn a little and share with you an example of the feedback we are receiving.

One participant said, “(We) are grateful for this experience. It was a retreat, it was a vacation, it was a wonderful learning experience, it was a joyful fellowship with others. From my first contact with you, you were helpful, responsive, warm and welcoming… All in all, our experience is just as warm and wonderful in memory as it was in actuality. We were blessed. Thank you.”

Of the 8% of those turning in a course evaluation between July 2004 and Jan. 2005 that said the course did not meet their expectations, 2/3 were from one course. We took your feedback and composed an Instructor Expectation Memo, which is now given to instructors before we contract with them. We want your feedback! (link to contact us) Courses have been tailored to the needs and interests of our students.

In conclusion, we need your help! Tell Others about CRTC: again, we have a very high repeat rate for courses, and a large portion of our new students were invited or encouraged to attend by someone else, often those who had attended a course in the past.
Help disseminate CRTC information. Our database only includes those who have taken courses and the names we have received from denominations and ecumenical organizations. Therefore, when you get a mailing, please be thinking not only about your own needs and interests, but those of the rest of the congregation in which you are a part, as well as other friends. Please pass on our information. Just think - you might be the link to the spiritual growth someone might experience from attending one of our courses!

[1] Mailing from “Quiet Waters Ministries,” August 2005, a non-profit organization working to renew Christian leaders out of Denver, Colorado.
[2] Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline (HarperSanFrancisco: San Francisco, 1998, third edition), 62.
[3] Whitney, Donald. Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health (NavPress: Colorado Springs, 2002), 88.