The Next Generation Leadership Initiative (NGLI) consists of:
An initial, four-year core educational program that engages participants in developing transformational leadership skills and gifts:
- Year One: Self-Differentiated Leadership and Bowen Family Systems theory, with an emphasis on practicing non-anxious leadership and applying systems theory in a congregational context
- Year Two: Inner Work: Adaptive Leadership and Reflective Practice, with an emphasis on the evolving context of pastoral leadership and its implications for leadership formation and one’s inner life.
- Year Three: Building Great Teams: From Story to Practice with an emphasis on team formation and effectiveness in varied contexts.
- Year Four: Leading Congregations to Faithful and Fruitful Ministry, with an emphasis on exploring trends that point toward a new paradigm of evangelism and spiritual formation and sharing practical strategies for more effective outreach and growth
An additional two years (if accepted in 2018 or after) or six years (if accepted prior to 2018) of advanced continuing education
- These years will begin with a time of intentional assessment that will lead to the creation of learning goals and an action plan that will further develop the participant’s skills and gifts for transformational leadership
NGLI will begin with an Orientation and end with a Capstone event. There will also participation in two United Church of Christ General Synods to build relationships within the wider church, two on-site learning visits (field trips) to foster experimentation and creativity, and occasional webinars to reflect and grow in specialized topics
Tools to participate in an ongoing cohort of colleagues who encourage and challenge one another in ministry
Yearly assessments to determine strengths and to develop plans for growth as a transformational leader
If accepted in 2018 or after, a $6,000 contribution to the participant’s Annuity Plan account occurs during the first year to help seed the participant’s pension account. The contribution should have the value of approximately $46,000 at the end of a 35-year career. (These figures are calculated based on an assumed growth rate of 6% per year over a 35-year period.) It will be 50% vested at the end of the fourth year and fully vested at the end of the sixth year. If accepted prior to 2018, a $10,000 contribution to the participant’s Annuity Plan account occurred during the first year to help seed the participant’s pension account. The contribution should have a value of approximately $75,000 at the end of a 35-year career. (These figures are calculated based on an assumed growth rate of 6% per year over a 35-year period.) It will be 50% vested at the end of the fourth year and fully vested at the end of the tenth year.
