YPCI Fellows

Program Overview

One way in which the YPCI will accomplish its work is through the YPCI Fellows Program. The YPCI Fellows Program is a professional development and leadership initiative for professional youth and family ministry practitioners (lay and ordained). Participants in the YPCI Fellows Program are selected by application, and through a two-year-long process engage in activities that empower leaders to transform their congregations’ youth and family ministries into ministries that take place in and for the public.

Those selected for the Practitioner Fellowship:

• Become part of a community of practitioners. Fellows work collaboratively to study the foundations and effective practices of public church with youth.
• Learn strategies to engage in program reflection, inquiry and change; Fellows learn approaches and strategies that will help them become better at guiding an intergenerational community through the process of discerning and implementing public ministry in their contexts.
• Improve programs and practice. Fellows will learn, test, identify and investigate best practices and bring these back to the Fellows Program so that we might collectively construct a base of knowledge for our shared work.
• Engage in leadership activities. Fellows present their work to peers, supervisors, congregations, parents and community members. They are encouraged to design and deliver workshops based on their work to share new expertise with others in the field.
• Disseminate learning. Fellows create products including articles, training events, curriculum, etc. in order to sharing what we learn.

Eligibility

• Eligible Fellows must be working in part-time or full-time ministry with children and/or youth at a church or parachurch organization.
• Eligible Fellows must be in commuting distance to Augsburg College.
• Eligible Fellows must demonstrate interest in reflecting upon their own ministry with youth, investigating, reading and writing about youth and public church.
• Eligible Fellows must be available for the entire Fellowship schedule. Meetings occur approximately every month over the course of two years and time is needed for reading, reflection and writing.
• Eligible Fellows must have a minimum of one year of experience in the field.

Stipend

Participants will be awarded a stipend of $500 at the end of each year of participation as either reimbursement for his/her time or as seed money for initiating this work in their context. The participant’s church council or similar advisory board will make this decision.

Schedule

Year One: January 2013 – December 2013

• Seminars: 3-hour seminar every month at Augsburg College or local congregation. (See Year One Seminar Schedule below)
• Readings and Reflections: Monthly readings and on-line reflections in preparation for each seminar.
• One-on-One: 30-minute one-on-one with program director approximately every other month.

Year Two: January 2014 – December 2014

• Workshops: 4 Half-day workshops with a team of 5 youth and adults from your ministry setting on Discernment (January), Accompaniment (March), Proclamation (May) and Sustaining (September)
• Project: Discern, develop and implement a project or initiative in your ministry setting that puts into practice what you and your group has learned through the YPCI Fellows Program.
• Celebration: Gather in November to celebrate our work and to plan the next steps for disseminating what we learn.

Year One Seminar Schedule

Monday January 28, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
The Current State of Youth and Religion
Youth and Public Church Framework Overview
Introduction to Public Church

Monday February 25, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Underlying Theological Tenets (Incarnation, Vocation, Discipleship)

Monday March 25, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Foundations: Relational, Holistic, Theological, Vocational, Public

Monday April 29, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Accompaniment in Theology
Accompaniment in Theory: Youth-Led Community Organizing
Accompaniment in Practice: Listening to Your Context:

Retreat – May 20-22, 2013 (Bay Lake Camp)
Issues in Accompaniment: Race and White Privilege
Issues in Accompaniment: Interfaith and Ecumenical Partnership

Monday June 10, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Accompaniment in Practice: Mobilizing Your Youth (Public Achievement)

Monday September 9, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Discernment in Theology: Biblical Imagination
Discernment in Theory: Reflective Practice (Practical Theology and Critical Pedagogy)

Monday October 14, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Discernment in Practice: Contemplation
Issues in Discernment: Youth Voice

Monday November 11, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Proclamation in Theology: Theology of the Word
Proclamation in Theory: Cultural Intelligence

Monday December 9, 2013 (11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.)
Proclamation in Practice: Lament, Celebration and Service
Issues in Proclamation: Innovation

Application Process

Contact Jeremy Myers (below) to express your interest in applying and to receive an application.

An advisory council of Augsburg faculty, local pastors and youth ministers will review all applications and make the final decisions on acceptance. You will be notified by December 20, 2012. The YPCI Fellows Application must be received in its entirety by November 30, 2012 via email or mail.

For more information:

Jeremy Myers | 612-330-1202 | myers@augsburg.edu