On a very wintry day in November the Prince Conference Center in Grand Rapids, MI hosted the annual peer learning group coordinator’s meeting. Eighteen coordinators, representing 17 peer groups with 134 members from 17 states and four provinces, spent the day being refreshed, encouraged, and challenged. The morning was spend in small groups with the coordinators sharing their experiences with members of the SPE advisory board, the Lilly Implementation Team and each other. Rev. Kent Rottman said, “The small groups taught me peer learning is not about me and what I can get out of it. Peer learning is about God and us!”

During the afternoon session Rev. Jerry Dykstra, Director of Denominational Ministries, gave a presentation on “Healthy Congregations” based on Acts 2. Participants were eager to hear what Jerry had to say as there is currently a healthy congregations’ priority in the CRCNA.

At the end of the day Rev. Tim Kuperus noted, “I have been challenged to send more parishioners to conferences and leadership development times realizing how much I have benefited from [the day].”

The coordinators represented the following Peer Learning Groups which were funded in November 2004 and May 2005.

• Asian-American Pastoral Ministry - MN, CA, CO, MI, NJ, ON, WI
  Focus: preparing for the future of Asian churches in the CRCNA
• CNY Explorers - NY
  Focus: developing pastoral identity, insight, and sustainability
• Exploring Healing to Build Healthy Churches - WA
  Focus: how to minister holistically to those in need
• Good Shepherd’s Association - CA
  Focus: personal development and ministry effectiveness in the church
• Interior BC Pastors’ Leadership Network - BC
  Focus: BC interior pastors sharing, praying, encouraging and equipping for effective ministry
• Manitoba Pastors’ Peer Learning Group - MB
  Focus: effective ministry and spiritual disciplines
• North Jersey Leadership Group - NJ
  Focus: to become better Ephesians 4:12 leaders which will create healthier, growing churches
• Nurturing Committed Individuals II - NC, GA, FL
  Focus: creating an environment of support and accountability while facing the challenges of ministry
• Ohio Pastors Exploring Ministry-Setting Specific-Missions - OH, KY
  Focus: explore general issues of ministry-setting-specific missions
• Second Chance - IN, MI, CA
  Focus: spiritual wholeness in the midst of busy ministry
• 16-Lead-Changes This Half - MI
  Focus: the development of a Biblical and Reformed understanding of pastoral leadership that will serve the church effectively in a 21st century context
• Spiritual Direction and The Soul Care of Pastors - AB
  Focus: engage in Spiritual Direction
• The Cultural Exegetes - AB, BC
  Focus: to deepen the awareness of God’s common and saving graces in the post modern culture and to expand homiletical capacity to proclaim these graces on terms set by the culture
  Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching
• The Lunch Bunch - ON
  Focus: growing together in character and spiritual formation
• The Revelation 7 Group - CA
  Focus: to learn about the CRC in order to participate in it and to bond together in the Lord as pastors of their local region
• The Technology in Ministry Group - MI
  Focus: effective use of Libronix Software for Biblical study and sermon preparation
  Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching
• Urban Mission in the CRC - NJ, IL, OH, IN, ON
  Focus: explore cutting edge urban ministry models

Mid-November saw a gathering of 28 Peer Learning Group coordinators in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The coordinators represented 163 pastors who were part of Peer Learning Groups at that time. These groups were located in 16 states and three provinces.

The day was rich with sharing, learning, and encouragement. Time was spent in small groups as pastors shared their experiences. “They [the small group sessions] were the epiphany of connection with others and God,” commented Michael Kooy, coordinator of DTS Skagit County.

A panel discussion was held by four of the contributors to Persevering in Ministry – a collection of ten stories written by CRC pastors. “The panel discussion was the most valuable for me because it was real (heart-to-heart). I appreciated the theological, spiritual, and philosophical balance,” said Denise Posie, co-coordinator of Pan African Clergy in Urban Reformed Ministries.

The coordinators represented the following Peer Learning Groups which were funded in November 2003 and May 2004.

• Asian-American Pastoral Ministry - MN, CA, MI, ON
  Focus: the challenges of pastors who are recent immigrants

• Bay Area Pastors Together in Spiritual Training - CA
  Focus: the practice of Sabbath renewal in pastors’ and spouses’ lives

• Company of Preachers – AB
  Focus: becoming better, more effective and more faithful preachers
  Jointly funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

• Competing Spiritualities - WA
  Focus: how to minister in a post-modern culture
  Partially funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching

• CRC Church Planters in New England - ME, NH, MA
  Focus: church plants and their ministries

• DTS Skagit County – WA
  Focus: ministry reporting to elders/supervisory boards

• Finishing Strong, Ending Well - MI
  Focus: exploring how to spend the final years in ministry in ways that sustain pastoral excellence

• Good Shepherd’s Association - CA
  Focus: personal development and ministry effectiveness in the church

• Ironing Board - MI, MN, CO
  Focus: the study of pastoral care in various aspects of ministry

• Korean American Ministry Training Association – MI
  Focus: conflict management in the church/effective spiritual leadership

• Lakeshore Seekers - MI
  Focus: evangelism in the mid-sized church

• Manitoba Pastors’ Peer Learning Group - MB
  Focus: transformational change for positive church leadership

• Near the Mississippi River Peer Group, MO, IA, IL, WI
  Focus: fruitful ministries with pastors who continue to grow in effectiveness

• New Peaks Leadership Network - BC
  Focus: BC interior pastors sharing, praying, encouraging and equipping for effective ministry

• Next Step Challenge – MN, ON, IL, WA, IN, MI
  Focus: effective leadership and ministry in the church

• North Jersey Leadership Group - NJ
  Focus: equipping the pastors in organizational leadership

• Nurturing Communities of Spiritual Conversation - MI
  Focus: nurturing authentic spiritual conversation within and through the Christian community

• Pan African Clergy in Urban Reformed Ministries - MI
  Focus: how ethnicity and culture intersects with theological pursuits

• Renewing the Church for Mission Effectiveness - ON (4 groups)
  Focus: greater leadership and missional effectiveness

• Senior Pastors’ Peer Learning Group – CA, MI, IL, BC, AB, CO, ON
  Focus: nurturing health and longevity in demanding senior pastorates

• South Grand Rapids Preaching Group - MI
  Focus: in-depth study of scripture to enrich preaching
  Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching

• The CNY Proclaimers - NY
  Focus: to grow in preaching and worship planning
  Partially funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching and the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

• The Sermon Hub - MI
  Focus: moving from text and theological reflection to sermon material
  Funded by the Center for Excellence in Preaching

• Urban Mission in the CRC - NJ, IL, OH, IN, ON
  Focus: the ministry of the urban church

• West Coast Peer Learning Group - BC
  Focus: the challenges of the future in worship and outreach
  Funded by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

January 2004

The Prince Conference Center in Grand Rapids, MI was the site of the first Peer Learning Group Coordinator’s meeting. Eleven coordinators from both Canada and the US came together with the Lilly Implementation Team for a day of enrichment, encouragement and fellowship. The coordinators represented the peer learning groups that were funded in May 2003.

• Classis Georgetown Pastor’s Leadership Network, MI
  Focus: leadership in the church and how to develop it

• Eyes Wide Open, MI
  Focus: the challenges of change in the established church

• Hamilton Area CRC Pastor’s Network A, ON
  Focus: the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in ministry

• Hamilton Area CRC Pastor’s Network B, ON
  Focus: the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in ministry

• Joel’s Dream Team, AB
  Focus: intergenerational worship and ministry
  Funded by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship

• Korean Christian Reformed Fellowship, CA
  Focus: teamwork in Korean churches

• Miami Hispanic Task Force Members, FL
  Focus: bringing Jesus to the Hispanic community

• Nurturing Committed Individuals, FL, GA, NC
  Focus: developing leadership skills as missionary pastors

• Puget Sound Peer Preaching Group, WA
  Focus: growing in the knowledge and skill of preaching

• Sioux Falls Pastors Spiritual Formation, SD
  Focus: personal spiritual formation

• The Preaching Group, ON
  Focus: growing in the skills of excellent preaching

• The Revelation 5 Learning Group, MI
  Focus: multi-cultural congregations in multi-cultural neighborhoods