HDS - OMS - Field Education Handbook

Project: Second Congregational Church is a vibrant, spirit-filled congregation that attracts a wide variety of people. It is a United Church of Christ congregation, progressive and open to seeing things in different ways. A growing population of young families has affected all areas of church life as the church population has more that doubled and the number of children has tripled in the past 5 years. Currently, we are ministering to approximately 500 adults and 200 children within the active church community. The church has a great commitment to children and youth and involves them in the total life of the church in many ways: intergenerational worship services, service projects and trips, educational opportunities -- both teaching and learning, as well as weekly Sunday worship, Church School, and annual mission trips. In addition, the church specifically expresses its commitment to mission through its long-standing support of social service institutions locally, nationally and internationally, but particularly in the near-by urban areas of Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill. We support an active participatory mission program to the Dominican Republic, and our Church School's weekly offerings support two children through the Foster Children's Program.

Student Involvement: Involvement would be focused primarily on Christian Education, particularly elementary education, but a specific program would be fine-tuned to maximize the student's unique gifts and interests. Work opportunities my include, but are not limited to CE ministry leadership, teacher training, planning and implementing programs that involve parents of the Sunday School children, pastoral care of church families, working with children's Church School, planning and implementing intergenerational programs and retreats, and worship leadership and preaching opportunities.

Arts of Ministry Competencies: Preaching and Worship. Pastoral Care and Counseling. Religious Education and Spiritual Development. Administration and Program Development.

Supervision: The supervisor will be the pastor. (The student will be part of a team and work closely with the Christian Education Committee, the CE Administrator, the Youth Minister, and will have the additional support of adult volunteers)

Harvard Divinity School

Ministry Studies

Field Education Handbook