The Answer To Your Questions ...

And Prayers -

ETSS Certificate Programs in

Youth Ministry & Christian Education

Youth Ministers and Christian Educators at June 2007 session

The Certificate Programs in Youth Ministry and Christian Education at the Seminary of the Southwest is a shortcut to success. Vibrant education programs and ministries to youth can be a focus for evangelism and a source of health for the entire parish. To do this parishes need lay leaders with a foundation of theological education and training to develop the appropriate skills. The formation of disciples for life can then begin to take place.

Too often, youth ministers and directors of Christian education are recruited on the basis of potential alone instead of skills and knowledge. They are then left to learn on the job through trial and error.The Seminary of the Southwest has a better way!

If you want a solid foundation of skills training and theological education at a very reasonable cost with a realistic time commitment and the opportunity for professional certification, the Certificate Programs is a welcome invitation.

Facts about the Certificate Programs

Certificate Opportunities -- The Certificate Programs offers a basic theological education which includes scripture, theology and practical skills of ministry on three levels: Basic, Associate and Advanced. The one-week sessions take place in mid-June and late-January each year. Upon completion of both beginning sessions, students are awarded a Basic Certificate. Building on the Basic coursework, Associate and Advanced sessions are offered in consecutive years and the Basic sessions are repeated each year. View a complete listing of the ETSS Certificate curriculum.

Session Content -- Each program level balances instruction, discussion, theological reflection, practical ministry skills, worship and spiritual formation. Regular worship is an important part of each session. The interplay of study and prayer is integral to the intent of the program.

Faculty -- Professors from the Seminary of the Southwest and other educational institutions make up most of the faculty of the Certificate Programs.

Professor Anthony Baker teaching theology class

Location -- Program sessions are held on the campus of the Seminary of the Southwest. Located in the center of Austin, the seminary is a welcoming community featuring an innovative library, the Episcopal Church's Archives, a chapel open to a variety of worship and a neighborhood that includes the University of Texas and two other seminaries. Meals at the seminary are first-rate, the accommodations comfortable, and Austin's legendary music scene awaits you.

Enrollment Prerequisites -- Lay and ordained persons are welcome. A college degree or GRE scores are not necessary for enrollment.

Patty Speier, ETSS graduate and director of Seton Cove Spirituality Center
in Austin, exploring Life in the Spirit

Continuing Education credits -- The Diocese of Texas awards 12 CEUs -- theological/academic -- for each of the two program sessions every year.

Cost -- $1,800 for both sessions. This includes room, board and tuition for each of two sessions.

Session Dates -- 2008 sessions are January 20-26 and June 8-14.

How to Apply --Contact Molly Bennett, the Director of the Certificate Programs. An application will be sent to you. A $50 application fee is payable upon acceptance. Molly's phone number at ETSS is 512.472.4133, ext. 340. Mailing address: Molly Bennett, Certificate Programs, Seminary of the Southwest, P.O. Box 2247, Austin, Texas 78768.

Certificate Programs Director
Molly Bennett, a veteran director of religious education and consultant throughout Province VII of the Episcopal Church, is Director of the Certificate Programs in Youth Ministry and Christian Education. Ms. Bennett was director of religious education
at All Saints' Church, Austin, for 14 years. She held a similar position
in California for five years before moving to Austin.

Ms. Bennett, who has taught at the Seminary of the Southwest
and the Lutheran Seminary Program in the Southwest,
consults regularly with churches throughout Province VII.

Professor Raymond Pickett discussing Paul's World View

Links of Interest

Teen Culture --

• The normal state for many teenagers today is what I think is very euphemistically described as “multi-tasking”: that is, talking on the phone while doing homework, checking e-mail, listening to music, and text-messaging. This state of activity is not a necessity driven by added demands on them, and I can tell you unequivocally it is not some vast leap forward in productivity that our teens have made in the last 8-10 years. Instead, it is quite simply a preference. Teenagers will say that unless they’re doing more than one thing at once, they feel jittery.

• When the bell rings at the end of a class, I see 20 cell phones and 15 I-Pod’s instantly withdrawn from the pockets where (if I’m lucky) they’ve been stowed. Students walking down the hall, or waiting in the cafeteria line, in a group of 4 friends will all four be talking or texting on their phones. Which makes me wonder, what’s wrong with the friends you’re actually in line with? why not communicate with them, and let the people you’re sending messages to communicate with the people they’re with? But that’s not how it’s done now.

From a talk at the Seminary of the Southwest by Charles Moody a high school teacher in Austin.
Read entire lecture

Hymn writers and Certificate graduates Rusty Edwards and Jenni Lee Boyden colloborated on several works informally known as HymnStar during their years in the ETSS Certificates Program. Edwards is pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Marietta, Georgia. Thirty different denominations in six countries have included his work in their hymnals. Boyden teaches at the Episcopal Day School in Pensacola, Florida.

Article about information and formation of Certificate Programs Nov 04

What classes are covered in a typical session? Download a class schedule.

Theological Education for All (TEforALL) -- Theological Education happens in myriad ways and places, all around us. It is the goal of TEforALL to help Episcopal educators and learners find and share resources for theological education, and to inspire all Episcopal communities to offer -- or seek out -- creative and effective theological learning opportunities.

The first session of the Certificate Programs on the ETSS campus took place in January 2004.

Fourteen youth ministers and religious educators complete all six sessions of the Certificate Programs and graduate in January 2003.

Clint Hagen, a youth minister formerly from Amarillo, Texas, reflects on the Certificate Programs

Molly Bennett, Programs Director, on Lisa Kimball's recent Harvey Lectures about youth ministry at ETSS.

Sam Portaro, Episcopal Chaplain to the University of Chicago, presented the 2002 Blandy Lectures titled "Forming a New Generation of Leadership for an Aging Church." PDF files of his lectures and sermon are available on the Sermons and Lectures page of this ETSS Website.