Communities of Practice 2026

Clergy Community of Practice is a small group practice of gathered clergy led by trained facilitators. The purpose of the clergy community of practice groups is to provide authorized ministers and other clergy with communal support, accountability, continuing education, and professional tools. These groups nurture healthy ministry by equipping clergy to navigate the challenges, blessings, richness, and wanders of ministry. Communities of Practice encourages a healthy balance of work and life, and provide clergy dialogue partners for support and accountability thus combating isolation in ministry. Ultimately, the goal of the clergy community of practice groups is healthy ministers and transformative ministry.

The Community of Practice program consists of intentional facilitated clergy community groups to be part of the life of clergy in both our work and personal lives as people who are also called to ministry. The program strives to build, through our core values, strong fellowship between the participants, enhanced learning, provide opportunity for growth, promote unity and consistency for clergy, reflection and worship for the practitioner, enhancing a ministerial integrity, support, and overall whole person health for clergy.

The Central Atlantic Conference (CAC) Community of Practice program is an initiative focused on supporting authorized UCC ministers (and other clergy working in local ministry) in its five associations. The community of practice groups function as a learning community, provide support and maintain accountability for clergy in realizing their covenant to God, their congregation, communities, and, importantly, to themselves.

Each initial group will be composed of a maximum of 10 members. The groups will be facilitated by a trained Community of Practice facilitator, who also has served for some time in ministry and has some seasoned insight to share with members in their group(s).