All Licensed and Ordained Ministers in the Pacific Southwest Region are required to meet the minimum standard of 1.5 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) per year to maintain standing in the PSWR, effective January 1, 2006. 1.5 CEUs equals 15 hours of instructional time.
Ministers can earn CEUs by attending either Regionally sponsored and other religious/spiritual educational opportunities not sponsored by the PSWR.
To apply for CEU credit for Regionally sponsored events, a CEU credit form will be provided for you at the event and will be stamped by event leaders at the end of the event. The minister is then required to submit this stamped form to the Regional Office for the credit to be applied to their ministerial profile. Submit the form and documentation via email to Michel Johnson at mjohnson@docpswr.org or a copy mailed to the Regional Office. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
To apply for CEU credit for events not sponsored by the PSWR, download and print the PSWR CEU Form. Complete the form and attach proper proof that you completed the instructional hours. Submit the form and documentation via email to support@disciplespswr.org or a copy mailed to the Regional Office. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
Upcoming CEU opportunities will often be shared via PSWR E-Shout. Use the form below to sign up to receive these emails. Please scroll down below for a list of upcoming CEU opportunities. You can also check the PSWR Regional Calendar and the “Upcoming Events” page for information on upcoming events.
SENT SEMINAR
NATIONAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
September 8-19, 2025
Calling all social entrepreneurs and those seeking to strengthen their skills in social enterprise projects, the 2025 SENT Seminar will take place September 8-19, 2025. This year’s theme is “Diversity, Equity, Inclusion: Building Impactful Futures.” Registration is now open! There is no cost to attend, but registration is required to view the pre-recorded videos. Learn more about the speaker line-up and registration here.
DISCIPLES INTERIMS:
INTERIM MINISTRY BASICS
Sept 8 - Oct 27, 2025 4-6 pm PT | 8 ONLINE SESSIONS
Disciples Home Missions is offering a new, revised curriculum with updated resources. This new offering is interactive and collegial and practical.
Who should take the training?
Ministers in any age and stage of their career, pulpit supply ministers, retired ministers who want to return to ministry, therapists/counselors/social workers who want to use their gifts and skills in a congregational setting, laity interested in becoming a commissioned minister
What is involved? Will there be homework?
The class meets on Monday nights with an optional after-session each week. There will be readings, videos and conversations each week in preparation for class sessions. There will also be a course project to help provide practical application of the concepts covered in the course.
What outcomes should I expect?
Students who complete the class will have a knowledge of interim ministry, how to have a strong start, gather a Transition Team, lead crucial conversations. Congregations led by interim ministers have the opportunity to become more healthy and more vital with a clearer vision of their next chapter together with a new settled pastor.
How much does it cost?
The 8 sessions will cost $600. Many Regional ministers are willing to share in the cost if the student offers to serve in an interim setting in the future.
Email us at DisciplesInterims@gmail.com for more information and an application link.
UNBINDING THE BIBLE: A TRANS-AFFIRMING APPROACH TO SCRIPTURE
Tuesday, September 23
10 a.m. Pacific/1 p.m. Eastern
Live on Zoom (2 hours)
What happens when we unbind the Bible and let it speak afresh into today’s questions around gender, identity, and inclusion? We know Disciples love the Bible and that our DSF alums and friends desire more justice in the world – this is a way to put those two together.
This workshop is designed for clergy, seminarians, and lay leaders who want to engage Scripture more deeply through a lens that affirms and celebrates trans lives. Whether or not you identify as trans, you are welcome.
Together, we’ll explore the rich world of trans biblical interpretation so that you can apply it in your personal life and in your communities.
📖 Featuring the co-editors of the groundbreaking volume Trans Biblical – J. Marchal, Melissa Harl Sellew, and DSF alum Katy E. Valentine – this event will open up new ways of seeing familiar texts—and help you bring them to life in your context.
Registration opens September 3. Email info@dsf.edu for more information.
THE POWER OF PROXIMITY FOR SOCIAL IMPACT
October 1, 2025 12:00 pm PST Zoom Webinar
How does a place of worship move beyond activism into true community organizing?
In this webinar, guest Rev. Dr. Dietra Wise Baker will join host and Minister of New Church Strategies Rev. Dr. Jose Martinez to explore the difference between organizing and activism, and why proximity has the power to transform congregations and their neighborhoods.
Dr. Dietra is a respected trainer who often consults and collaborates around her sustained work in youth justice, detention/prison/jail, and faith justice movements.
Join New Church Ministry on October 1 at 12:00 PM PST. Register
Can’t make it? Sign up anyway! All registrants will receive a link to a recording of this event.
MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL CONFERENCE
October 2-4, 2025 | Denver, Colorado
The 2025 NBA Mental Health and Professionals Conference will be held October 2-4, 2025 in Denver, CO. If you are a mental health professional or chaplain working in the field of mental health, or completing a graduate degree in a mental health-related area, you are invited to join us in an opportunity for care, rest, education and connection amongst those who understand your work at the intersection of faith and mental health! Learn more here.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - EMERGE
Asynchronous Online Course
New Church Ministry is now offering a Leadership Academy course on CHURCHx, an elearning platform built to support mission and ministry. Learn about the DisciplesNEXT framework from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. This course is ideal for those who work during the week or are bi-vocational. While it provides the same curriculum as those who attended Leadership Academy in person, only the EMERGE track session is currently available. EMERGE participants discern their missional purpose, develop their future stories, and prepare their communities of faith for launch. However, workshops and resources are continuously being added. Access to this course never expires. Learn more
New Church Ministry proudly presents IMPACT, a new webinar series that welcomes you on a captivating journey of storytelling and deep mutual learning. In each episode, host and Minister of New Church Strategies Rev. Dr. Jose Martinez invites guests who have defied conventions and fostered vibrant communities of faith to share their invaluable experiences and personal narratives. By exploring the challenges, triumphs, and transformative moments of these visionary leaders, attendees gain invaluable inspiration and direction for their own ventures.
This dynamic series embraces diversity, welcoming influential leaders from a multitude of faith traditions and backgrounds. From established religious institutions to emerging spiritual movements, IMPACT showcases a broad spectrum of voices and perspectives, ensuring participants have a rich tapestry of insights to draw from. While each of its speakers bring a distinct approach and innovative strategies to the table, equipping participants with a toolkit of ideas to create thriving, inclusive places of worship that resonate with today’s seekers, IMPACT emphasizes the power of storytelling as a catalyst for change. Whether you are an aspirational individual looking to make a difference or a member of an established congregation that is considering revitalizing its mission, IMPACT is your transformative guide. Join us as we delve into the profound potential that storytelling has to shape the future of faith communities worldwide. Together, we can ignite a new era of spiritual vitality and make an enduring impact on the lives of those we serve.
CERTIFICATE IN PASTORAL MINISTRY
Join the conversations that will expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitments, and give insights on how to minister in a changing world. The Center for Ministry and Lay Training's online program allows you to explore your call to ministry or even earn a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. Click here to apply.
Phillips is the only Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) seminary offering this Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. Since 1906, Phillips has been educating those who serve the church and is pleased to continue the 120-year legacy of the Bible College of Missouri through the Center for Ministry and Lay Training.
As a student, you’ll not only learn from our top-notch faculty, but you’ll also build a network of others engaged in ministry. The Center for Ministry and Lay Training is not designed for those who want to do ministry the way it’s always been done. If you want to make a difference in this changing world, we’ll help you push beyond your comfort zone. Learn more about the program and upcoming course schedule.
Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry training consist of two steps and a small group Fieldwork experience. The first step is Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry: The Work of the Leader (FTML). The second step, Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry: The Work of the Congregation (FTMC) builds on the information and experiences of FTML. The curriculum is designed for experiential learning throughout. Participants read content prior to class so that they are able to use the information to understand specific transition situations as found in sacred stories or in congregational case studies. Even in the virtual world connections and conversation are a vital part of the IMN FTM training.
UN*SILENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: BECOMING A SENSITIVE RESPONDER TO THE HIDDEN PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
Clergy and lay leaders who are passionate about reducing Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence (DV/IPV) can sign up for a 5 hour training facilitated by Courtney Armento. The course is available for a discounted rate of $117 and is self-paced with occasional live sessions with Courtney for Q&A. In the course, you will discover what to say (and what not to say) to those experiencing DV/IVP so that you facilitate spaces of calm in the midst of their storm. You will become equipped to create safe spaces so that you can empower those going through DV/IVP to make conscious choices. With your help, we can turn around the toxic culture of DV/IVP that unfortunately many have experience in churches and reduce -- dare we say eliminate? -- DV/IVP in our communities. Sign up for the course here (CEU credits available)
Lexington Theological Seminary offers online courses and webinar series to help equip pastors, church leaders and members alike with tools to address a wide variety of issues facing congregations today. Please visit their website for a current schedule of upcoming courses.
Several ministries are offering online trainings and webinars for clergy and church leaders. One source is New Church Hacks, offered by New Church Ministry, a ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that trains, equips, assists and multiplies emerging and affiliating congregations and leaders. New Church Hacks provides clever solutions to tricky problems and empowers courageous leaders with the tools, tips and how-tos to start, sustain and strengthen congregations.
ChurchWest Insurance and their partners are busy developing tools to help your ministries in the weeks and months to come. Please visit their website to browse available webinars. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session (most sessions average one hour).
The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center provides speakers and education resources for churches of all denominations on biblical peace and justice issues, as well as conflict transformation skills training and training for church leaders grounded in family systems theory. It also provides mediation and consultation services for churches, schools, and other organizations. Please visit their website to browse available webinars and educational opportunities. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session.
Union Theological Seminary | Progressive theology has long taken shape at Union, where faith and scholarship meet to reimagine the work of justice. Grounded in the Christian tradition and responsive to the needs of God’s creation, a Union education prepares its students for committed lives of service to the church, academy, and society. A Union education develops practices of mind and body that foster intellectual and academic excellence, social justice, and compassionate wisdom. Union forms courageous faith leaders who make a difference wherever they serve. Please visit their website to browse available webinars and educational opportunities. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session.