Hamilton: Current Mentored Ministry Students

You are here because you have registered for or are planning to register for any Mentored Ministry Course (MM501-702 and/or EM/MM501-602).

On Your Mark...

Registration Information

• Pre/Co-Requisites
• How to Register for Mentored Ministry 
• Transfer of Credit / Waivers
• Fees and Remuneration 
• Grades
• Extension Policy 
• Mentor and Site/Project Approval
• BTI Mentored Ministry
• Breakdown of Hours
• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) 
• Overseas Missions Practicum (OMP) 
• Denominational Considerations
• Mentored Ministry Opportunities List
• Dual-Degree Students (i.e. M.Div. & MACO)
• International Students
• Partnership Students (you know who you are)
• Semlink Students

Get Set...

• The Orientation Unit (on-campus MM501 and/or EM/MM501)
• A Word about Waivers

GO...!

• Registering for your Field Units
• Number of Field Units You Can Take at a Time
• A Suggested Rotation for MM
• General Petition Form

Your Assignments: 

*Please see your CAMS student portal for deadlines for assignments, under "course documents."  Also, please note that while we prefer handwritten signatures, we also will accept an email confirmation from your mentor in lieu of physical signature.

• The Learning Covenant and Learning Covenant Update
• Suggested Topics for Mentoring Meetings
• Reflection Tools
• Progress Report
• Final Evaluation
• General Petition Form

Pre / Co-Requisites
Please know that the pre or co-requisite for students to begin to take field units of Mentored Ministry (on-site ministries, not the orientation unit) is/are the following:

This means that you need to take the pre-requisite either prior to or concurrent with your first field unit of Mentored Ministry.

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How to Register
Students register for Mentored Ministry at the same time and the same way that they register for all classes. Single field units are 10 hours per week for 12 weeks of the semester and double field units are 20 hours per week for 12 weeks of the semester. Summer Mentored Ministry must also be 12 weeks longand be registered for under Summer Session 1. The following are the Mentored Ministry classes for which student must consecutively register.

Students normally take one or two units at a time.  However, beyond the single and double unit options there are three other possible variations:

Three Units at a Time – If students are working in a ministry for 30 hours a week or  longer for a given 12-week period (particularly in the summer) they may petition to take three units at once. Students must use the General Petition Form [ßmake this a link] to request this and turn it in to the Mentored Ministry Office.  If approved the MM Office will inform Registration of this permission and they will allow you to register for the three.

“The Triple- Units-Over-Two-Semesters Deal” – Over the course of two semester students working 15 hours per week in their ministry may have this count for three units, one in the first semester and two in the second (there are no half-units). You must inform the Mentored Ministry Department of your desire to do this either by e-mail (mmassist@gordonconwell.edu) or phone (978-646-4119) and we will help you with the logistics.

Off-Schedule Mentored Ministry – Not infrequently students work in ministries which either begin earlier (and thus end earlier) or later (and thus end later) than the regular semester timeline. If these differences are significant it is important that you inform the Mentored Ministry Office so they can help you make sure that you don’t miss any assignment deadlines. Particularly for those who are doing an Off-Schedule MM which runs later than the end of a term, you will need to make sure that you apply for an Extension with the Registration Office.  In your petition you should say that you’re doing an “Off-Schedule Mentored Ministry” and confirm that you have arranged it with us.

Special Note for M.A. in Educational Ministries students: Because the MAEM program is shorter, MAEM students are required to do the Orientation Unit and 3 Field Units. For MAEM students the Orientation Unit is listed as EM/MM501 and the Field Units are EM/MM 502, 601, and 602.

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Transfer of Credit / Waivers
No credit is given for ministry experience prior to entering Gordon-Conwell apart from transfer credit from another seminary or special permission from Mentored Ministry and the Registrar. While the seminary recognizes the value of various kinds of ministry experiences prior to beginning formal theological studies, our Mentored Ministry program strongly encourages further development and growth in a monitored setting where evaluation and reflection build upon previously learned skills and experiences.

Petitions for waivers of Mentored Ministry units based on previous experience may be made provided the student present documentation of the experience along with supervisory confirmation. Waivers will be based on number of years of full-time ministry from one to six years, one unit per calendar year. However, all students with previous full-time experience are encouraged to consider doing all or partial Mentored Ministry units while in seminary for the spiritual and ministry enrichment which may be gained. Please see the Waiver Policy for more information.

Transfer credit may be granted to students who transfer from other recognized seminaries. Such decisions are made by the Registrar in consultation with the Director and/or Asst. Director of Mentored Ministry.

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Boston Theological Institute (BTI)
Gordon-Conwell students may elect to fulfill Mentored Ministry requirements through a field project affiliated with another school of the BTI, especially where denominational credentials are involved. In such cases the requirements for Gordon-Conwell and/or the sponsoring school will have to be met. Please consult with the GCTS Mentored Ministry Office before making any arrangements with another school. Click here for more information on the BTI.

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 Fees and Remuneration
There is a $120 fee charged per unit of Mentored Ministry. The usual procedures which apply to all courses regarding registration, extension requests, payments and refunds apply also to the Mentored Ministry courses.
Some churches/projects offer a stipend, some cover travel expenses only, and some offer no payment at all. The Mentored Ministry Department encourages all projects to offer remuneration while simultaneously recognizing that some ministry settings are not in the position to do so. Students should select sites based on opportunities for learning and not exclusively based on financial opportunity or closest proximity to the campus.

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Grades
Mentors will suggest a grade for their students and in most cases this grade will be the one assigned for the unit. However, the Mentored Ministry Department will be ultimately responsible for the student's final grade and may adjust it depending on special circumstances and/or the quality and promptness of the submission of written work.

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Extension Policy 
All written work must be turned in or postmarked by the due dates published, which are based on those set for coursework listed in the seminary catalog. Deadlines are strictly held and late work penalized. Verbal extensions from the Mentored Ministry Office are acceptable for Learning Covenants and Reflection Tools, but only if the student contacts us before or on the due date. Contact the Registration Office for all end-of-semester extension petitions (for Progress Reports or Final Evaluations) but again, only before or on a due date. End-of-semester assignments which have extensions must be submitted to Registration rather than to the Mentored Ministry Office.

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Mentor and Site / Project Approval
A significant range of ministry experiences are acceptable to the MM Department from your home church, to nearby congregations, to parachurch ministries, summer projects and overseas. Many kinds of ministry roles are acceptable, except for primarily administrative ones. Remember that each unit must be at least 12 weeks long at a minimum of 10 hours per week.

Approved mentors are those who have been in full-time ministry or Christian service for five years or more.  They will need to complete an Application to Mentor and attend our one-half day New Mentor Orientation.

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Breakdown of Hours
We acknowledge that ministry involves both direct people ministry as well as preparation time. Therefore, a minimum of 50% of weekly MM hours must be spent in direct people ministry (including mentoring meeting). This means that a maximum of 50% of weekly hours may be spent in preparation (e.g. Bible studies, sermon, etc.)

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Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE)
An accredited Clinical Pastoral Education program is another option for fulfilling some of the Mentored Ministry requirements. CPE program are located at hospitals and health care institutions around the country and provide students with hands-on chaplaincy training.

Locally, Beverly Hospital is home to a well-respected and popular CPE program. For here and for all CPE programs the rule of thumb is to apply well in advance of the time you wish to take CPE (3-6 months).

Some denominations require students to enroll in a CPE program for a semester or year. In our program, CPE satisfies two Mentored Ministry unit requirements but may also count for more depending on the student's future goals and their denominational requirements. Students may also opt to have CPE count for an additional one, two, or three electives along with their two Mentored Ministry units. Speak with the Mentored Ministry Department regarding such variations.

In place of the Learning Covenant and other written work for Mentored Ministry, a copy of the CPE Acceptance Letter from the hospital?s supervising chaplain and the Final Evaluation (done by both supervisor and student) comprise the written work required for this course.

Click here for more information about the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education and their national directory of CPE centers.

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Overseas Missions Practicum (OMP)
Summer missions practicums through the seminary are encouraged and may also count for up to two units of Mentored Ministry. Students must audit or take WM720 in the spring semester in preparation for their summer OMP experience (this is usually a weekend course). When registering for the summer, MM students should register under summer session1, no matter when in the summer they are leaving for the field. Finally, students may also opt to have their OMP experience count for another elective course, WM721.

Click here to learn more about OMP see the course description in the catalog.

For the most recent Mentored Ministry OMP Manual click here (PDF)

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Denominational Considerations
Students sometimes ask, "Is my denominational affiliation important?" Our answer is, "It very much could be." Here are three reasons why:

First, it could make a HUGE difference in the kind of networking you will need in order to get a ministry job after graduation particularly if you're planning on or are even only open to the possibility of getting ordained. Frankly, we have found that students who are denominationally affiliated have a much easier time. As we often say, unless God has clearly told you to be non-denominational, you should seek to choose a denomination.

Secondly, it's very helpful to unite and resource with other Christians who share your theological and methodological convictions. Rather than figuring out later that you may not feel comfortable with a given ministry situation, it's important that you begin the process now of looking for the best possible fit for you. And know this - even if/when you do select a denomination (or association of churches) it does not mean that you are locked there. There is often reciprocity between denominations and non-denominational churches, i.e. quite a few are willing to hire people from outside their denominational group.

Third, even though you may firmly believe that God is not calling you to ordained ministry or even a job in a church, there may come a time where it could happen. You owe it to yourself to at least know your convictions and preferences "just in case." Plus, if you do choose a denomination, the inquiry or candidate process can take a long time (one to two-plus years is not uncommon) so the earlier you start the better!

So, how can you start the process of checking out denominations? We can help! Click here to look at our Denominational Chart. We've taken the top represented denominations in the GCTS student body and put them in a chart for you, categorized by what we find matters most to our students in the selection process (church polity, theology, women in leadership, baptism, etc.). We have also included the contact information for these denominations' national and regional representatives. Finally, we also have several copies of The Handbook to Denominations in the United States available on loan from our office.

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Mentored Ministry Opportunities List
There are many churches in the local area and region that are looking for students to work with them for Mentored Ministry in a wide variety of roles. We post these for students to look at on our Mentored Ministry Opportunities List. All of these postings have approved mentors in place and are as up-to-date as we can keep them. Feel free to contact any of them to discuss MM possibilities. Remember, that churches which are further away can often offer some of best situations and opportunities for students so do not let distance be your final determinant.

Students are also free to set up Mentored Ministry situations for themselves. In other words, opportunities are by no means limited to the list above. Once you have selected or discovered ministry situation that you would like make sure that your prospective mentor is approved and on file with the Mentored Ministry Department. (Minimum requirements for mentors are five years of full-time ministry experience and subsequent one-time attendance at our New Mentor Orientation.) If your prospective mentor has mentored GCTS students before, it's likely that they are already approved, so check with the MM Office to find out if they're on our list. If they are not, please use the Application to Mentor to have them apply. The MM Office will then work with them to arrange for their subsequent training and orientation.

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Partnership Students
Click here to view the Partnership Program Schedule. If you are a Fall incoming student and part of the Scholarship Partnership Program, you will need to register for: MM501, the required basic Orientation Unit. To register for Partnership Mentored Ministry, (sometimes called "MMP") you should register for MM502-HB. This is only required for M.Div. and MAEM students. Students from other majors do not need to register for any Mentored Ministry as it is a degree requirement only for MAEM and M.Div.

Note that all first-year Partnership Students are required to attend the four, lunchtime Partnership sessions during the Fall semester. The requirements for everyone are as follows:

Attend all of the following events and submit the related assignments:

• The Mentored Ministry & Partnership Welcome Event
• Theological Viewpoint on Stewardship Lecture. Students are to take notes and to submit a written 2-page reflection paper due to Mentored Ministry office before the next session.
• Historical Viewpoint on Stewardship Lecture. Students are to take notes and to submit a written 2-page reflection paper due to Mentored Ministry office before the next session.
• Biblical Viewpoint on Stewardship Lecture. Students are to take notes and to submit a written 2-page reflection paper due to Mentored Ministry office by the last day for written work.

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Dual-Degree Students (ie. M.Div & MACO)
This is a challenging undertaking which will take you at least four years to accomplish, but it can certainly be worth it. The combined M.Div. and MACO degrees can be particularly helpful for qualifying students for ministry positions which are desiring a strong pastoral care focus, or for clinical counseling situations in which there is a strong focus on spiritual care.

The practicum and internships of the MACO program may be used to satisfy the requirements of Mentored Ministry in the M.Div. (or MAEM) program. There are certain field sites which satisfy both supervisory requirements and with whom arrangements may be made. You are encouraged to work first with the Counseling Department on this, and then the Mentored Ministry Department.  Ask to see their list of dually-approved sites. To understand the financial aspects of this combination, speak with Accounting Office.

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Semlink Students
If you are currently doing a Mentored Ministry unit or units via Semlink, you are to work exclusively with them on the details of your MM course(s). Be sure to use and refer to the materials that the Semlink Office gave you when you registered. You must use their forms for assignments and follow the due dates for assignments that they assign you. Finally, you must submit all of your Semlink MM work to the Semlink Office, rather than to the Mentored Ministry Office. Once you have matriculated on campus, then you will switch over to working exclusively with the Mentored Ministry Office.

You can do a maximum of 2 field units for Mentored Ministry via Semlink (MM501-I and/or MM502-I). However, remember that there is the prerequisite of Spiritual Formation for Ministry (MC501) which you must take prior to or simultaneous with these field unit(s). MC501-Spiritual Formation for Ministry is also available through Semlink. 

Once you are on Campus: For those of you who have taken one or two of these Semlink field units before matriculating on campus, you will have the option of taking the Orientation Unit once you arrive on campus. The rule of thumb is: If you are clear as to how you plan to use the rest of your MM units, you may have all the rest of your units be field units. If not, plan to take your next consecutive MM unit as the Orientation Unit and then take the rest of your units as normal field units. Either way, you must confirm your choice with the Mentored Ministry Office.

If you have done MM501-I through Semlink, then you will register for MM502 at the Registration Fair when you arrive, and then attend the Orientation Meetings that semester. If you have done MM501-I and MM502-I through Semlink, then you will register for MM601 as your Orientation Unit at the Registration Fair when you arrive as well as attend all required Orientation Meetings that semester.

The following are the Mentored Ministry classes for which students must register consecutively. Note that students may do double units if they're working in ministry for 20 hours per week or more, and that summers may also count as a semester.

Special Note for M.A. in Educational Ministries students: Because the MAEM program is shorter, MAEM students are required to do the Orientation Unit and 3 field units.

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International Students
We are glad that you are here! We love our brothers and sisters from around the world. You're welcome to worship and minister with any church of your choice. This could be of your culture and ethnicity, but there are also many good international or mixed-culture churches in the Boston area. Also you could choose to experience your own cross-cultural ministry in a traditional Anglo, New England church! (The Mentored Ministry Office has a list of churches who are eager to have international seminarians worship and serve with them.)

There are also many different ways you can look for churches and Mentored Ministry situations for yourself here. You could network through your church denomination, through your family, by visiting recommendations from friends you meet on campus, or by taking suggestions from Student Life Services and/or the Mentored Ministry Office.

Most students, internationals included, hope to find a Mentored Ministry situation that will pay them some sort of salary or stipend. As an F-1 visa holder, you know that you are limited to on-campus jobs to receive pay. However, under Curricular Practical Training you may receive pay for Mentored Ministry work. Click here to learn more about CPT: Curricular Practical Training and Academic Scholarships.

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Orientation
This first Mentored Ministry unit is traditionally taken the first semester a student is on campus. Most (except for students who took 1 or 2 units via Semlink) register for it as MM501 or EM/MM501. All incoming students are strongly urged to take the orientation unit during their first semester. The Orientation Unit must be taken prior to (or at least simultaneously with) their first field unit (for most this will be MM502).

Please note that this class meets for one hour, five times during the semester, making it a very easy course to complete. Click here to look at the most recent MM501 Orientation Unit syllabus. Click here to view the semester's meeting schedule. 

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A Word about Waivers
While God definitely uses students' previous ministry experience as an important part of the process of leading them to seminary, it can and should not automatically replace Mentored Ministry. The "chemistry" that is created when theological studies and practical, ministry application are combined can not be understated or replaced.

That being said, the Hamilton campus MM waiver policy was designed to accommodate those who have had significant, full-time ministry experience.

Click here for the Waiver Policy and Petition.

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"A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps." [HCSB]
Our job is to help you use your mind to plan your way, while continuously looking to Jesus to be your Guide