Plymouth United Church of Christ has a salaried 27-month residency program for recent seminary graduates, ordained or eligible to be ordained. The residents become Associate Ministers of the pastoral staff of Plymouth Church. The Associates perform all the functions of the other ministers on the staff—weddings, funerals, pastoral care, preaching sermons, and leading worship. 

 

The Lilly Endowment funds the program and this allows Plymouth to offer the Associates a significant experience in the core activities of ministry. The two Associates, in addition to performing all duties of the current ministerial staff, meet with David Ruhe, Senior Minister, in a weekly Ministry Seminar. The seminar includes review and reflection on the activities of the Associates—including sermon discussions and critique. The seminar also includes readings on ministry and theology, possible presentations by the Associates, and discussions with guest presenters.

 

The Residency is designed to be an intensive learning environment within a congregation that is both supportive and demanding. It provides a tremendous growing experience that will leave each Associate better equipped for a long and fruitful career in ministry.

 

Plymouth has a multi-person staff in which we are blessed with varying skill sets as well as ways of interacting with members of the congregation. The other four ministerial staff includes the Minister of Care and Welcome; Minister of Discipleship; Minister of Young Adults and Youth; and Minister of Spiritual Growth. These seasoned ministers provide a rich and supportive collegial, collaborative and teaching cohort for the Associates.

 

The Plymouth Associates are integrated into the staffing patterns of the church quickly and are involved with learning experiences outside of Plymouth as well. Each Associate has an opportunity to preach in the Sunday worship programs as well as through an established Saturday worship which the residents helped to revise and lead. Plymouth provides the Associates with the freedom to imagine and implement teaching programs for the church and community. 

 

This is but one more way that Plymouth continues its ministry to this community and the greater community beyond Des Moines by helping to prepare emerging pastors for the challenge before them as well as the joys of ministry.