What We Offer

Empowering a New Voice

Waiting for the Word

Stewards of the Word

Empowering a New Voice
A Training and Formation Program for the ministry of lectionary-based, liturgical preaching, offered to beginning preaching candidates.

Content presentations integrate knowledge, skills, and spirituality, and enable participants to compose, deliver, and critically evaluate preaching in specific liturgical/ministerial settings.

Workshop preaching sessions utilize peer and mentor feedback to focus on the four primary competencies of homiletic preaching:

integration of Scripture and theological content
integration of personal witness and experience
creative preaching development and presentation, and
effective communication skills.

This program can be customized according to the needs of the participating diocese. For example, the learning units can be presented over a one or two year interval, with workshop preaching and mentoring occurring in conjunction with content sessions. In other locations, monthly sessions of four hours scheduled on weekday evenings best fit the calendars of lay participants. The materials of "Empowering a New Voice" have also been presented within an academic setting for graduate ministerial/theological credit.

Partners In Preaching will work with pastoral leadership to most effectively utilize the resources of the local Church for presentations and/or mentoring, while offering our program materials which have been developed specifically for lay preaching candidates. Participants use candidate and mentor training manuals, and materials are also available for distribution to local parish communities to enable them to welcome the lay preaching ministry.

Waiting for the Word
Consultation services for Dioceses, parishes, or religious communities who seek to provide the continuation of quality preaching within the worshipping community. Partners In Preaching will work with local pastoral leaders to design a process for selection of mentors and preaching candidates, and to adapt training/formation materials for local use.

Stewards of the Word
A Training and Formation Program for the ministry of mentoring, offered for experienced preachers who will be preparing additional colleagues to share the ministry of the Word.

The "Stewards of the Word" program serves as a continuing education and renewal experience for the current preachers within a diocese. Mentors have an opportunity to examine their own understanding and practice of preaching, to reflect with one another on personal strengths and areas for growth. Working with gifted priests, deacons, and lay ecclesial ministers, candidates for the preaching ministry grow not only in knowledge and skills for preaching, but begin to be formed as sisters and brothers in a united community of preachers who serve alongside one another so that God's Word can be heard most clearly.