“Leadership is difficult and complex, especially during the season we are in as a society where questions of faith and church are especially challenging,” reflected Betty Pries (MTS 2005), an instructor in Grebel’s Conflict Management and Congregational Leadership Certificate Program (CMCL). “The variety of workshop topics opens space for important and life changing conversations regarding faith and conflict in congregational life.”
Reverend Gail of the United Church of Canada found the CMCL training to be a practical tool. “We all know that conflict happens in congregational settings, even if we pretend it doesn’t,” she said. “This program has helped me navigate through the challenges of congregational ministry. I think it is valuable to all ministers and members of ministry.”
As a presbyter in the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom, Heather Wilson has found the CMCL program to be a tremendous help. “The instructors, the case studies, and the breakout groups invited practical application,” she noted, after participating in the sessions virtually. “This program enabled me to continue as a life-long practitioner in managing conflict positively, both in my own life, and in the church setting.”
“Recently, many congregations have been struggling with congregational decline, or simply with making sense of the changing nature of the faith in the current time,” explained Betty. As a result, CMCL participants address the pressures churches face and have difficult conversations, like the inclusion of those identifying as 2SLGBTQIA+ and the interpretation of scripture. “These are hard, hard conversations and are often experienced as painful,” she added. “They can also be hopeful, however. These conversations can help reground the church in prayer, and in its core calling and purpose.”
“Most participants who take these workshops are already serving their church in a paid or unpaid leadership position,” said Sue Baker, Manager of the Certificate Program in Conflict Management. “While it is often clergy who attend the workshops, they are very much open to anyone who serves or attends a congregation or parachurch organization, and who is interested in learning how to improve their skills to manage the inevitable issues that arise between two or more people. Developing skills in understanding and managing conflict leaves the community to focus resources on their primary mission.”
The Conflict Management Certificate Program operates under the premise that each person can learn how to deal with conflict in a healthy and effective manner. The program and the workshops provide an opportunity to explore new ideas and train participants to work effectively with others. Currently, primary instructors in the program are all Master of Theological Studies graduates or retired Grebel Faculty: Betty Pries (MTS 2005), Marg Van Herk-Paradis (MTS 2020), Paul Okoye (MTS 2021), and Tom Yoder Neufeld (Professor Emeritus). At this time, workshops are offered virtually, so people across the globe can participate.
Register for a workshop: uwaterloo.ca/conflict-management
