The Stevenson School for Ministry, based in the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, offers excellent formation opportunities from top quality professors in a flexible online format. Several members of our diocese at all levels of ministry have been trained through The Stevenson School for Ministry. Bishop Ketlen Solak remarks: “I can personally attest to the first-rate level of the classes offered by the Stevenson School for Ministry because I am currently auditing a class about the Gospel of Luke at the school. The teacher is excellent, and my fellow students are extremely bright and offer insightful observations, which contribute to rich dialogue and a fertile learning environment.”
The Stevenson School for Ministry provides an opportunity to learn from experienced priests and professors, many of whom teach in traditional seminaries all over the country, and from fellow students who are pursuing ordination or lay leadership or simply seeking to deepen their understanding. The Rev. Jim Miorelli comments, “I feel very grateful and blessed to have attended the Stevenson School for Ministry over the past 4 years, first completing the Deacon, and now the Priest curriculum. The instructors have proven to be eminently qualified, and challenge students while being gracious and understanding. It’s the perfect environment for adult learning while working full-time and pursuing a religious calling, or for exploring engaging content while nurturing spiritual growth.”
The Rev. Dr. Luke Zerra, Associate Dean for the Stevenson School for Ministry and Priest-in-charge at St. Peter’s in Brentwood, also emphasizes the lay ministries program. “If you look at the catechism in the Book of Common Prayer, the outline of faith, it asks ‘Who are the ministers of the church?’ And it essentially says that the baptized are the ministers of the church. So, before it starts talking about bishops, priests, and deacons, it’s clear that our first call to ministry is our baptism. It’s not that we outsource ministry to priests, deacons and bishops; it’s that we all have a part in the ministry of the church.”
Lay Worship Leader Training and Lay Preacher Training are among the offerings specific to lay ministry, offerings that often serve under-resourced parishes in providing lay leadership for regular worship and pastoral care, a need across many dioceses. Rev. Zerra comments, “I think the future of the church is going to call for greater lay participation, greater engagement in the ministries of the church. I see things like Stevenson playing a role in equipping lay people for that work.”
A few of the upcoming continuing education course offerings at Stevenson School for Ministry include “A People’s Theology of the Church: The New Testament’s Vision of our Mission and Ministry”, “God’s Reign According to Jesus and Paul” and “The Celtic Way: Discovering Christ in our Midst.” Registration information is available through the link for each course listed.
“I think we’re called to know God and to be transformed by the renewing of our minds, as St. Paul tells us. The more that we can learn about God, the deeper we’re going to grow into the knowledge of God, ourselves and our neighbor,” offers Rev. Zerra, further highlighting the importance of the resources The Stevenson School for Ministry offers our diocese and the ministries God has given to each of us.
To contact Rev. Luke Zerra, email him at: lzerra@diocesecpa.org
To contact The Stevenson School for ministry, email:ssfm@diocesecpa.org
–Alisa Huston