EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

• The denomination’s Ministry Office will offer an Interim Ministry Roundtable event on Oct. 23, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Central time. It will be led by Tara Hornbacker, Enten Eller, and Christy Dowdy, all of whom have experience in interim/transitional ministry. The event will offer an opportunity to “learn more about the possibilities of interim ministries, to ask questions about ways to navigate transitional times, and discuss current challenges with others who share the same journey.” The event is free, and advance registration is not required. Join the roundtable at https://tiny.cc/COB-Interim. 

• Upcoming courses from the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership include “Introduction to Hebrew Bible,” online Oct. 22-Dec. 16, led by Matt Boersma (registration deadline Sept. 10); “Cultivating an Everyday Faith,” online Jan. 21-March17, led by Joan Daggett (registration deadline Dec. 10); and “Introduction to Preaching,” online hybrid with onsite class in Richmond, Ind., Feb. 17-20, and Zoom two weeks before and after, led by Danw Ottoni Wilhelm (registration deadline Jan. 6). Register and pay online at Brethren Academy Course Registration/Biannual TRIM Payment | Bethany Theological Seminary (bethanyseminary.edu). Other courses on the schedule for 2026 include “Church of the Brethren Beliefs and Practices,” “Church History 1,” “Introduction to Biblical Studies,” “Multivocational Ministry,” and “Introduction to the New Testament.”

• Upcoming Susquehanna Valley Ministry Center (SVMC) continuing education courses include “The Shape of Ministry in a High-Tech World,” led by Dan Poole, Sept. 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Central, via Zoom, cost $45; “Caring for Congregational Members at the End-of-Life” (for clergy), led by Julie Guistwite, Oct. 7, 8:30-11:30 a.m. Central, via Zoom, cost $35; “Supporting Terminally Ill Congregation Members” (for laypeople), led by Julie Guistwite, Oct. 28, 8:30-11:30 a.m.. Central, via Zoom, cost $25 (group discount available); and “Weakness Transformed in the Gospel of Matthew,” led by Dan Ulrich, Nov. 1, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Central, via Zoom (or in person in Huntingdon, Pa.), cost $45 (additional $20 for in-person). Course prices are $10 less without CEU’s. Register by visiting the SVMC course page or by contacting Karen Hodges at karenhodges@svmccob.org.

• McPherson College’s “Ventures in Christian Discipleship” series will offer “Preaching and Storytelling,” by Dawn Ottoni-Wilhelm, Sept. 16 and 23, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Central (0.4 CEU’s); “Immigration Solidarity,” by Founa Badet and Matt Guynn, Oct. 21 and 28, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Central (0.4 CEU’s); and “Making Sense of God’s Violent Behavior in the Old Testament,” by Eric Seibert, Nov. 8, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Central (0.3 CEU’s). All sessions are via Zoom. Suggested donation is $25 per course. Learn more and register at https://www.mcpherson.edu/ventures/.

• Lombard Mennonite Peace Center offers a variety of training sessions. Upcoming options include “Strengthening the Body of Christ,” Sept. 16 via Zoom; and “Restorative Conversations,” Sept. 17 or Dec. 10 via Zoom. The Mediation Skills Training Institute will be held in person in Glen Ellyn, Ill., Sept. 29-Oct. 3. For details and registration information, go to https://www.lmpeacecenter.org/trainings.

• Designed particularly for ministers new to the Church of the Brethren denomination, Bethany Theological Seminary’s new certificate of achievement in ministry studies (CAMS) includes six courses that focus on Brethren history and theology, practical experience with the ordinances and preaching of the church, biblical interpretation, and peace studies. The certificate can be completed in two years or even one year, depending on course offerings. Five of the six courses can be completed at a distance. For more information go to https://bethanyseminary.edu.