Faith Leadership Seminar

Registration for 2024-2025 is now closed.

This program is held online.

This monthly seminar for leaders in faith communities explores topics of theory, theology, and the practice of ministry while focusing on our own functioning within the faith community. Guest, faculty, and participant presentations and coaching are included.

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The Faith Leadership Seminar offers a broad range of practical theology topics from a family systems perspective. In a presentation for the 2024 Spring Conference on Faith and Functioning, Dr. Laymon explores the individuality and togetherness processes in prairie dogs and people, with particular attention to congregational life.

2024-2025 Participant page

Purpose of the Program

This is a monthly online program for leaders in faith communities. It will involve presentations by Bowen Center faculty and guest presenters, case studies, and responses in large group sessions, small group consultations, and individual consultations with a faculty member. Theory, theology, and the practice of ministry will all be included while focusing on our own functioning in that complex system of systems: the community of faith

Application Process

Applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are now closed. The application process includes a completed online application form, a non-refundable application fee of $50, and an interview with the program head.

Program Prequisites

Prerequisites include formal learning and experience with Bowen theory. Preference is given to those actively engaged in leading faith communities of any faith tradition, whether lay or ordained. Application and interview required.

Dates for 2024 - 2025

Meetings are online Mondays from 10:00am - 2:30pm Eastern Time

Included in the Program

Large-group meetings with presentations and discussions
Small-group consultation sessions
Six individual consultation sessions throughout the year with a faculty member
Sessions may involve advance reading or other preparation
Free attendance to the 2025 Faith Leadership Conference
30% off attendance to the 2024 November Symposium, 2025 Spring Conference, and 24-25 Clinical Conference Series
Full access to the Bowen Center’s digital media library

Presenters

Presenters include theologians, pastors, professors, and therapists, as well as Bowen Center faculty members, including the Faith Leadership Seminar program heads.

Program Fee

The fee for this program is $1,900 and is payable online. Pay in full on or before August 1, 2024.

Continuing Education

CE credit is not available for this program, but certificates of participation will be issued upon request.

History of the Program

The seminar is entering its seventh year and includes continuing and new participants.

Program Head

Jennifer Long, MDiv currently works as a mainline Protestant minister in the southern tier of New York. She joined the Bowen Center as associate faculty member in 2021. In her twenty-five years of ministry, she has served in staff, solo, and interim roles as well as a consultant in church conflict. She participated in the Bowen Center’s Postgraduate Program from 2014-2019.

Program Faculty

Barbara Laymon, PhD is a licensed therapist on the Bowen Center faculty. The author of All the Families of the Earth: Therapists in Bible Times (2023, Wipf and Stock, publishers), she is currently engaged in congregational research using a family systems framework.

The Rev. Ed Henley has been working with Bowen theory since the 1980’s. He joined the faculty in 2017. His experience includes both long-term ministry as well as interim ministry.

Questions

Please contact Jennifer Long at jlong@thebowencenter.org to discuss your interest and questions. For administrative questions, contact Rachel Burnham, Learning & Development Coordinator.