Community SupportsFaith Based Supports

Faith Community Leadership: A Collaborative Project between
New Jersey and Pennsylvania

The Boggs Center has been chosen by the Pennsylvania Developmental Disabilities Council to lead a two to three year project in Pennsylvania focusing on training of clergy in issues related to disabilities, community, and congregational supports.

The project will first work with seminaries, Clinical Pastoral Education programs, and other congregational leadership training programs in Pennsylvania to determine ways that disability issues are currently integrated into their curriculum offerings and training programs. The goal of the project is then to help develop the capacity of those programs to offer a variety of ongoing training opportunities students and clergy who come through their programs.

A second major goal of the project is to find and/or provide leadership to continuing education opportunities for clergy sponsored by faith communities, and, correspondingly, to provide resources and strategies to help people with disabilities, their families, provider networks and advocacy groups to work in partnership with clergy and congregations.

Project components are based on the belief that training and leadership development happens in pastoral training programs, ongoing continuing education opportunities for practicing clergy, and, finally, when clergy, religious educators, and other congregational leaders are faced with needs and opportunities raised by members of their congregation and community.

A statewide interfaith Advisory Board in Pennsylvania will help guide the project.  The Boggs Center project will be led by Rev. Bill Gaventa. Please feel free to contact him with questions or ideas. You can also help by:

• Sharing this information with others through your own networks.
• If you are planning an educational event for clergy or religious leaders and would like assistance, please feel free to contact us if you need ideas, resources, or other assistance.

Please see the resource materials below that have more specific information for seminaries, religious networks and congregations, Clinical Pastoral Education programs, and parents, service providers, and advocacy groups. 

If you’d like to be on a statewide listserv of individuals interested in the goals of this project, sharing ideas and resources, and information on training opportunities, please email Elizabeth Ong. You must be a member of the listserv to post and receive information.

Faith Community Leadership Project Information

Project description and listserv

Information for Individuals, families, and agencies

Information for Religious Organizations and Networks

Information for Clinical Pastoral Education Programs

Information for Seminaries and Congregational Leadership Training

Five Seminaries in Pennsylvania Awarded Mini-grants for Educational Projects in Ministries with People with Disabilities and their Families

Faith Community Leadership Resource Materials

Beginning and Strengthening Ministries Resources

A Sampling of Recent Resources in Disability, Theology, and Ministry

Resources for Creating and Building Partnerships between Provider Agencies and Religious Organizations/Congregations

End of Life Resources

The Power of One

Events

Annual Summer Institute on Theology and Disability

For more information

If you know of other events and/or for more information on these as publicity is developed, join the Faith Community Leadership Project Listserv by contacting bill.gaventa@umdnj.edu

Project Director/Contact: William Gaventa