HDS - OMS - Field Education Handbook

Contact Person: The Rev. Dr. Jennifer Phillips

Project: St. Augustine's is a progressive dynamic small congregation that has just made the leap from mission to full parish status. We have had a 50 year commitment to campus ministry at the very secular state University of RI with its strengths in science, agriculture, and technology. Our parish has about 100 households and is actively engaged in growth work.

We have a well-developed small church Sunday school program (nursery, Godly Play, "Seasons In the Spirit" elementary- middle school, youth group for teens). There is regular adult education and weekly ecumenical Bible study. Our worship is informal with a little volunteer choir, a variety of music styles, and flexible use of our space, and largely contemporary language. We are affirming and welcoming to people and households of al sorts. We do occasional services in collaboration with the local ELCA Lutheran church. Campus outreach is a volunteer effort: pastoral care, occasional student groups, a Hot Topics, Hot Speakers series, a nondenominational sitting meditation group, and various events in collaboration with the campus chaplains.

Student Involvement: Students may tailor an experience for their learning needs, which might include preaching, adult, youth and child formation, parish growth, campus ministry at neighboring URI, pastoral care, parish administration (this would involve some evenings). Scheduling could be arranged to accomodate some full days, some weekends, or smaller blocks of time as needed.

Arts of Ministry Competencies: Preaching and Worship. Pastoral Care and Counseling. Religious Education and Spiritual Development. Administration and Program Development. Public Leadership, Community Organizing and Planning. Denominational Polity.

Supervision: Because of the commuting distance, supervisory meetings and hours of ministry can be scheduled very flexibly. If a student would like to work with an advisory team of parishioners, this can be arranged in addition to weekly supervision with the Rector, the Rev. Dr. Jennifer Phillips. We welcome pairs of students who might like to work as a team in either campus or church work or a combination.

Notes: Travel options: 1-1/2 hour highway drive south of Boston down I-95. One hour by Amtrack from South Station. About two hours via Commuter Rail from South Station to Providence and RIPTA bus to URI. PArishioners can offer occasional overnight accommodation when doing evening events, if a student wishes to stay over.

Harvard Divinity School

Ministry Studies

Field Education Handbook