Dearests,
Having just created this blurb for an upcoming seminary speaking engagement I thought I would post it here to see if there is some interest in hosting me while I am in London from July 6-August 6th. I am spoken for on the weekends with the Unitarians but I do have some weekdays open.
Contact me via the “Need PeaceBang’s Help” button above if you’re interested in booking me. Cheers.
“Authenticity in Ministry: From Pious Servants To Honest Sojourners”
The Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein has studied the popular image of the American clergyperson from Puritan times through to our own. She believes that if the mainline Church is to survive, its ordained leaders must lead the people through a painful transition from “savior” expectations of their (heavily scrutinized) ministers to a missional model, where the minister and the laypeople use the church as a place of discerning and strengthening before being sent forth to do the work of love and justice in their communities and in the world. In this new model, clergy must dismantle old paradigms such as Martyr, Enigma, or Saint and help the church – one congregation at a time — mature beyond its unsustainable expectations of its ordained leaders.
TUESDAY EVENTS:
“Here I Am, Lord… Now What Shoes Do I Wear?” Clergy Image in the 21st Century
The Rev. Dr. Victoria Weinstein, known as “PeaceBang” by readers of her popular blog Beauty Tips For Ministers (www.beautytipsforministers.com) is a pioneer in the subject of clergy image and self-presentation. In her words, “You can either project an image intentionally you will most certainly project one unintentionally and unconsciously.” We live in a visual age, and the old attitudes that equate spirituality with lack of concern for outward appearance are naive and damaging to the Church. Modern ministers must understand their context, understand themselves as those who represent the church visually as well as spiritually, and be camera-ready and media savvy. In our first session we will address such topics as the calling to ministry, our self-esteem as incarnate beings, the deep resistance to attention to personal beauty as either an expression of frivolity or vanity, and self-care. Our second session will deal with presentation of self: voice, body, hair, grooming, clothing, vestments and clericals, how to dress for the various duties of ministry, and where to find comfortable shoes for CPE.
Participants are asked to dress professionally, either for a day of general parish duties or for preaching. Willing volunteers will be solicited for an image “read” by Dr. Weinstein.
I like it!
But are you coming up to Scotland!!!???
“CPE” is an American term, over in England it would be called a number of things from: hospital chaplaincy placement to field placement. I’m sorry not to be able to attend but I will be in the US!!! [Thanks! – PB]
Certainly in the Anglican Cambridge Seminaries (Ridley&Westcott) CPE is known as ‘SCP’ social context placements-hope this helps!
In Anglican Seminiaries (at least those in Cambridge, Ridley Hall and Westcott House) the equivalent to CPE is SCP’s, Social Context Placements. The difference is that ordinands undertake several SCPs during training, in a variety of placements and contexts. They also have other contextual placements, such as a term living in an urban/rural parish placement. Hope this helps!