Leadership Fellows Program
Envision an opportunity for clergy and laity pairs to be an intentional community, engaging in conversation about practical church strategies and understanding the ways that relational leadership skills are critical to a healthy congregational future. The Leadership Fellows Program dedicates itself to this vision.
The Three Pillars of Leadership Fellows
Curriculum
The launching point for discussion and dialog, the curriculum is crafted for self-understanding and practical engagement of church leadership concepts.
14 sessions across two years
112+ hours content
practical and engaging
Coaching
Helping to make key concepts take root, coaches encourage personal accountability to design and implement real solutions in the church.
monthly or bi-monthly calls
one-on-one conversations
each Fellow paired with a coach
Community
The heart of any Methodist experience, the deep sense of community and togetherness is what past Fellows say they miss the most.
8-12 clergy/laity pairs
covenant community
deepened relationships
Curriculum
2022-2023 Program Year Dates
Sessions are Mondays, 1-5pm, and Tuesdays, 8:30am-12pm.
- September 12-13, 2022
- October 24-25, 2022
- November 14-15, 2022
- January 9-10, 2023
- February 6-7, 2023
- March 6-7, 2023
- April 24-25, 2023
Year One – Discovering Yourself as a Leader
Year one focuses on who we are as leaders and how to be more effective in relationships.
- Retreat: Living as a Spiritual Leader
- Self Awareness and Self Care
- Relationships and Team Building
- Best Practices in Leading and Managing People
- Conflict Management
- Discernment, Decision-Making, and Leading Change
- Reaching More and Diverse People
Year Two – Practical Church Strategies
During year two, Fellows learn to look at their church and community with a different lens, hearing about church strategies they can put into practice.
- Shaping Servant Leaders and Building Ministry Teams
- Relational Discipleship, Partnerships, and Small Group Ministries
- Holistic Stewardship
- How to Measure What Matters
- Missional Ministry
- Open Session – under discernment in consultation with the Class of 2021-2023
Fellows Faculty
Drawn from community leaders and the church, Fellows faculty equip Fellows with content and encourage a community of learners who share experiences and knowledge with one another. Read full faculty bios.
- Dennis Adams
- Trish Archer
- Lynn Benson
- Reggie Ponder
- LuAnn Charlton
- Carl Frazier
- Susan Graebe
- Teresa Holder
- Denise Honeycutt
- Martha McLean
- Gray Southern
- Lisa Yebuah
Coaching
Every Fellow is matched with a coach.
New Fellows have an initial coach matching call with the Center’s coaching coordinator. After prayerful discernment, clergy and lay Fellows are connected with an individual coach. This pairing remains throughout the two years, with 12 coaching sessions offered each year.
Coaching is relational.
Recognizing that the wholeness of leadership includes wellness of soul and attending to personal connection, coaches have a check in with the Fellows to start their conversation. The coaching relationship then offers opportunity for Fellows to talk through the content from the previous session and contextualize it for their churches.
Coaching is contextual.
Key to the coaching relationship is helping Fellows strategize a process and steps to implement changes. Coaches use appreciative inquiry to encourage Fellows along their journey.
Community
Hear their story.
Deepened relationships between pastors and laity strengthen our connection and create built-in support for clergy, both in their congregation and in the wider conference.
These relationships can even transcend particular classes or cohorts. Hear from the Rev. Jane Leechford (Class of 2011-2012) and Linda Donnell (Class of 2014-2015), two Fellows alums who connected when Jane was appointed to Linda’s congregation and they found they “spoke the same language” due to their shared experience as Fellows.
Tuition FAQ
How is the program funded?
The NC Conference covers 70% of the cost of the Leadership Fellows program. Annual tuition of $1000/team (or $500/person/year) covers the remaining 30% of program costs.
What does tuition cover?
Tuition, when combined with Conference support, covers an overnight retreat, faculty who facilitate each session, any inventories and books utilized by faculty, monthly coaching calls, community-building lunches the Monday of each session, shared hotel rooms for Fellows who live too far away to commute between session days, and program supplies.
Who pays tuition?
While some Fellows use personal funds, we strongly encourage congregations to cover the full cost of tuition. Fellows make a significant investment of time in order to learn new leadership skills and strategies to benefit the local congregation. Covering the cost of tuition is an important way a church can support their Fellows and acknowledge the significant gifts they will be bringing back to the program as a result of their participation in the program.
What if my church cannot afford tuition?
Churches have raised money to support their Fellows through a number of creative means. Consider hosting a BBQ or a church dinner where the Fellows share about the program with church members and a special collection is taken.
Are scholarships available?
Clergy are encouraged to request continuing education funds from Ministerial Relations to be used toward their portion of tuition. In addition, the Conference can support one or two 75% scholarships per year. If you are interested in requesting one of these scholarships, please reach out and let us know.
How to Apply
We admit new Fellows classes each summer. If you are interested in applying, here is a basic timeline and plan:
- Tell us you want to apply!
If you want to apply to the Leadership Fellows program, send us an email and let us know! We like to hear from all interested applicants by early June. - Identify a Partner
The Fellows program begins in partnership with one clergy person and one lay person from the same ministry setting. Start praying about who that partner might be, and reach out to us if you need guidance. - Apply Online
Complete the online application, due by the first Monday in August. Both partners (clergy and laity) fill out a separate application. - Request Recommendations
Request an online recommendation from two people. Clergy need recommendations from their DS and S/PPRC chair. Laity should identify any two people who can speak to their leadership in the church context. Note: Clergy who applied after being nominated by their DS need only request a recommendation from their S/PPRC chair. - Tuition
Annual tuition is $1000 per team (or $500/person/year). If you anticipate tuition being a challenge for your church, we can discuss strategies to cover the cost, including whether scholarships might be available. The Center is able to offer one or two 75% scholarships each year.