Academic Programs > Spiritual Formation & Placement in Ministry

Spiritual Formation Placement in Ministry Using Placement Profiles Placement Profiles

Spiritual Formation

Through a variety of formative practices, Louisville Seminary seeks to nurture spiritual and vocational development of its students.

Worship: Three days a week the community gathers for worship. A variety of types of worship are offered including contemporary, morning prayer, multicultural, Taize, feminist, and gospel liturgies. On Friday faculty preach and the Lord's Supper is celebrated. In consultation with the student worship coordinator, our chapel services are designed and led by students, faculty, administrators, and staff with equal opportunity to preach and lead the liturgies.

Spiritual Directors: The Seminary helps students locate a spiritual director who will work with them as they grow in faith.

Retreats and Small Group: These experiences provide opportunities for students to learn practices of the faith, to share faith and growth with others, and to integrate academic learnings with personal faith and ministry in the world.

Discernment Groups: Students work together to discern where God is leading them in ministry. This is especially valuable for seniors who are seeking a call to ministry.

Placement in Ministry

As students, through field education, academic work, relationships with committees on preparation for ministry, discern their call to ministry, the Director of Field Education and Placement provides assistance in linking graduates with congregations and other ministry opportunities. Following are some of the aids provided to seniors:

Discernment Groups: Students work together to discern where God is leading them in ministry. This is especially valuable for students who are actively seeking a call and trying to determine where God is leading.

Ordination Examination Preparation: A variety of workshops are held to help students prepare for the ordination examinations of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

Placement Seminars: Seniors are invited to participate in workshops, often led by denominational leaders, that include:

Writing the Personal Information Form (PIF)
Reading the Church Information Form (CIF)
Interviewing and negotiating a call
Clergy tax law
Fiscal Fitness workshop with the Board of Pensions
Keeping alive spiritually in ministry
Designing an ordination service
Other topics of concern to seniors

Profiles: Seniors seeking a call are encouraged to create a profile on the seminary website. Placement Profiles introduce the student and his or her background and vision for ministry to persons seeking to call a pastor or other church professional. The profiles often lead to valuable contacts between students and congregations.

Senior Retreat : A late spring retreat for graduating students provides an opportunity to celebrate the learning and growth that takes place at Louisville Seminary and to begin the transition to parish or other forms of ministry.

Using Placement Profiles

Profiles are designed to introduce Louisville Seminary graduating seniors and recent graduates who are actively seeking a call to congregations and presbyteries. As students are cleared by their Committee on Preparation for Ministry (CPM), they are invited to post a profile on the website. The profile provides the student an opportunity to introduce him or herself and describe experiences and hopes for continuing the ministry of Jesus Christ in the world.

As students receive a call, the profile is removed from the site. This means that there are frequent additions and subtractions of profiles. Check the website often for new profiles.

You will note from reading the profiles, these students come from different backgrounds and bring very different work histories and gifts to the ministry of Jesus Christ. At Louisville Seminary, they have been involved in an education program designed to integrate the academic, practical, and spiritual dimensions of ministry. They have participated in field education in congregations and in social or denominational agencies and in Clinical Pastoral Education. They have been part of a community life of worship, spiritual development, and mutual Christian care. These students are well prepared to lead a congregation in pastoral ministry and in the critical issues and social struggles of our time as well.

Students or recent graduates with placement profiles on line may be contacted directly. Most have a Personal Information Form (PIF) on file with Churchwide Personnel Services (PCUSA) and are open to conversations with congregations and/or agencies. A few will inform you that they do not yet have Committee on Preparation for Ministry permission to circulate a Personal Information Form. Please honor their situation and encourage them to contact you when they are cleared to interview with a Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC).

As Director of Field Education and Placement, it is a joy to introduce this group of students and graduates to you. I am confident that with their theological education and deep commitment to ministry, they will provide needed leadership for the work of the church in the world.

I hope you will consider inviting a Louisville Seminary graduate to be a part of your congregation’s ministry. I am here to work with you in ways you find helpful.

God’s blessing on your search.

Garnett E. Foster
Director of Field Education and Placement
gfoster@lpts.edu