Ministry and Church Vocations

Pilot Employee Assistance Program Extended

Since September 2010, the pilot Employee Assistance Program (EAP) has provided confidential counselling, consultation and referral to ministers and their families.

Funded by bequests in the Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Fund, this pilot program has now been extended by the Life and Mission Agency until August 31, 2018. Regular funding will be needed to continue the program beyond then.

The EAP helps ministers to strengthen themselves for Christian service and gives the church another way to express its care for the community of people who lead it.

Members of the health and dental plan not receiving their church pension access care through the 24-hour, 7-days-a-week EAP Contact Centre:

1-800-387-4765 (English)
1-800-361-5676 (French)

Spouses and dependent children are also covered. All services are provided free of charge to the caller. To date, ministers and their families have accessed EAP services 504 times.

For more information, email the Rev. Susan Shaffer, Ministry and Church Vocations or call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 264.

Download the Employee Assistance Program brochure

View the online tools and resources

Continuing Education Fund

Why pursue continuing learning? To seek spiritual renewal and growth, reflect on my calling, develop fresh ideas for worship and new leadership skills, assist my congregation through a period of transition.

The purpose of the Continuing Education Fund is to provide financial assistance for continuing education to help professional church workers of The Presbyterian Church in Canada to increase their effectiveness in ministerial service.

• This fund makes financial assistance available to church workers for their professional development.
• The program – workshop, course, conference – must have a minimum number of contact hours and be offered by a recognized organization.
• Applicants must be approved by their presbytery or a church board or agency.
• This fund supplements the allowance provided by the congregation or employer.
• It is expected that the individual applying and their congregation or employer will contribute to the costs of the program
• The maximum that an individual may receive in any five-year period is $1,500.

The new online application form helps makes this process easier. Use the Continuing Education Grant Application or, for further information, please email Liz Brewer. You can also read the Continuing Education Regulations.

Colleague Covenant Group Grants

Funds are available to provide incentive grants to help ministers, diaconal ministers or lay ministers employed in The Presbyterian Church in Canada to begin new colleague covenant groups. These funds are accessible by PCC ministers and professional church workers wishing to form new groups.

Learn more about Colleague Covenant Group Grants and complete the online application.

Louisville Institute Sabbatical Grant Opportunities

The Louisville Institute ecumenical institution hosts an annual competition for Sabbatical Grants for Pastoral Leaders (application deadline, November 1) and for Pastoral Study Project Grants (application deadline, September 1).

The Institute offers grants to support both pastoral sabbaticals and research by scholar/pastors and scholar/educators that strengthen the religious life of North American Christians and their institutions while simultaneously advancing religious and theological scholarship. These grant programs aim to serve three strategic constituencies whose competence and well-being are essential to the future of the church: pastors, younger scholars, and researchers and scholars for the broader church. In doing so, they also seek to advance our understanding of three issues of importance to both church and academy: Christian faith and life, pastoral leadership, and religious institutions.