\"Intelligent and creative leadership is formed in the crucible of prayer, study, and community. The ChurchNext series of Vestry training courses is an excellent way for lay leaders to become more informed and grounded in the work Jesus is calling us to do.\"
Michael Curry, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church

\"Strong, faithful and informed lay leadership is essential to the future of our changing church. The ChurchNext series of courses for Vestry leaders offers a robust, thorough introduction to the joys and challenges of Vestry leadership.\"
Roger Ferlo, President, Bexley Seabury Seminary

\"I heartily recommend these courses, as they bring renewed focus to the significant ministry of Vestry members, based on the principle that spiritually vital congregations grow with spiritually engaged leaders (clergy and lay). Thanks be to God for this focus on the call of Vestry members to be spiritual leaders, helping Vestry members to experience service on the vestry as sustaining and nourishing.\"
Jay Sidebotham, Director of RenewalWorks

\"Equipping leaders is more important than ever in the life of the church. I know of no better way to equip both new and veteran vestry leaders with the essential information and skills needed to serve their congregations than the four classes that result in the ChurchNext Certificate in Vestry Leadership.”
Scott Stoner, Director, Living Compass

Effective churches always have effective leaders.

The Vestry is the elected leadership body of an Episcopal Church, charged with providing guidance and oversight to a congregation. In this introductory course, veteran vestry member Van Sheets unpacks the keys to effective vestry leadership. The titles of his presentations include:

A Spiritual Journey
Beginnings
Attitudes
Serving

This course is perfect for newly elected vestry members who are looking to understand their role.

Certificate in Vestry Leadership
This course is part of our Certificate in Vestry Leadership program. Complete four courses in Vestry Leadership and earn a certificate. The Certificate program includes:

The Vestry Journey with Van Sheets
Vestry Vision and Leadership with Charles Robertson
Managing People and Conflict with Bill Carroll
Understanding Vestry Finances with Tom Post

These courses are available in two formats, For Individuals, which is suitable for students to take on their own and For Groups which is ideal for a Vestry or other small group to take together.

Here's a video preview:

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will it take me to complete this course?
It will take an average student about 45 minutes to complete this course. You can pause at any time and come back. You can even re-take lessons. Each course features 3-6 video lectures that are from 5-7 minutes in length. Also included are downloadable Mp3s of each lecture plus Discussion Questions and a one-page synopsis of the course called The Takeaway.

Who’s teaching this course?
Our instructors come from a variety of traditions, mostly mainline Christianity - Baptist, Episcopal, Methodist, Presbyterian. They meet two criteria: 1) they are well-studied, even experts, in their fields, 2) they offer a moderate viewpoint.

How long will I be able to access the course material?
Those who purchase individual courses (for $10) can access all the course materials for 6 months from the date of purchase. Those who purchase individual subscriptions ($15/mo unlimited) can the course materials for all of our courses as long as their membership is current.

Is this course downloadable?
Parts of the course are - Mp3s of the lectures, the Takeaway, and the Discussion Questions. However, the course is designed to be an online learning experience and the video lectures, quizzes, and discussion are only accessible online. However, if you'd like to take the course in a small group, feel free to hook your computer up to a projector or big screen.

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
You bet. It's easy, click here for instructions as well as answers to more Frequently Asked Questions.

Also, a technical note:
This platform works best on Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox, which are both free downloads. Internet Explorer 9 and above also works well. However different computers have different anti-virus and spam filters installed that can inhibit the downloading of lots of different materials, so if one browser is not working for you then try another.

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