What is continuing education?

Continuing education (CE) involves

What is a CEU?

Credit for participating in CE is a way of giving official recognition to persons involved in advanced learning experiences. The standard Continuing Education Unit (CEU) is given on the basis of one CEU for every 10 contact hours (a contact hour is a minimum of 60 minutes of actual contact in a class or seminar event in which attendance is mandatory.)

A CEU may be earned in fractions: 3 hours would be 0.3 CEU; 5 hours would be 0.5 CEU, 10 hours would be 1.0 CEU; 15 hours would be 1.5 CEUs, etc.

Who must earn CE credit?

Manual 424.6, “Once a minister has fulfilled the requirements of a validated course of study for ministry, he or she will continue a pattern of lifelong learning to enhance the ministry to which God has called him or her. A minimum expectation is 20 contact hours each year (2 accredited Continuing Education Units [CEUs] or the equivalent determined by the region/language group and stated in their regional “Sourcebook on Ordination.” All assigned and unassigned licensed and ordained ministers shall report on their progress in a program of lifelong learning as part of their report to the district assembly. An up-to-date report on his or her lifelong learning program will be used in the church/pastoral review process and in the process of calling a pastor. The regional “Sourcebook on Ordination” for the region/language group will contain the details of the accrediting and reporting process. At least 20 contact hours or its equivalent are expected annually. (115, 122, 413.25, 433.15)

The word “licensed” refers to district licensed ministers and does not apply to local licensed ministers.

How much CE is required?

After completing the requirements of a validated course of study for ministry, the minister must complete a minimum of 2.0 CEUs (20 contact hours) in CE each year (Manual 424.6).

Why does one need CE?

CE offers the opportunity for gaining knowledge, improving skills, and advancing personal growth beyond the entry-level requirements of a ministerial job. Earning CEUs indicates a person’s desire to remain current in his or her field and to continue growing and improving.

Where does one get CE?

There are many ways to obtain CE: events sponsored by districts, colleges, seminaries, hospitals, and other community organizations, approved CE correspondence courses, directed reading programs, etc. For a directed reading program, the District Ministerial Studies Board will determine eligibility, pre-approve a plan and book list, and grant CEUs upon completion. The directed reading program requires 30 hours of reading plus a 500-word reflection paper on each book for 1.0 CEU.

What events are excluded from CEUs?

Programs taken for academic degrees are not eligible for CEUs. However, ministers involved in a degree program are exempt from CE expectations while making satisfactory progress in the degree program. Individual credit courses taken outside an academic degree program may fulfill the requirement for continuing education. The substitution formula is one academic credit for 1.0 CEU.

CE is designed for those who have completed the ministerial course of study. Therefore, CEUs are not granted until the minister completes the educational requirements for ordination.

CE credit cannot be granted for Continuing Lay Training (CLT) courses provided by Sunday School Ministries. The CLT program is designed for laypersons. CLT materials could, however, be utilized as auxiliary teaching aids for a CE event, but should not constitute the primary textbook or course outline.

Who tracks CE?

The District Ministerial Studies Board or District Board of Ministry is the primary repository for all educational records. Clergy Development is the recording agency for the Church of the Nazarene. As a sponsoring agency, Clergy Development will keep permanent records on all CEUs reported with validating documentation.

How is CE reported?

All CE shall be reported to the district CE coordinator. All assigned and unassigned ministers shall report on their progress in a program of lifelong learning as part of their report to the district assembly. An up-to-date report on his or her lifelong learning program will be used in the pastoral review process and in the process of calling a pastor (Manual 424.6).

District-Sponsored Events

The district office, through a CE coordinator, will maintain a record of all district events, CEUs, and attendee lists. All district sponsored-events will be registered through the district office with Clergy Development.

It is strongly recommended that district courses include requirements for

1. private reading within a prescribed time frame (before, during, or after the event)

2. writing exercises, essays, sermons, and/or book reviews

3. a personal evaluation of the event, in which the student describes benefits received and gives suggestions for improvement, to be presented to the teacher on or before a specific date.

To grant credit without personal participation other than listening is questionable educational procedure.

The CE coordinator is responsible to notify Clergy Development of CEUs earned at all events, whether district-sponsored or not, by completing a Continuing Education District Report. Clergy Development will post the CEU to each minister’s record and send CE cards and updated CE reports to the CE coordinator, who will distribute these to individual ministers, indicating the cumulative CEUs earned.

Non-District Events

When taking a non-district-sponsored event, one of the following must be submitted to

the CE coordinator to determine eligibility and CEUs: ‹ course syllabus describing sponsoring agency, instructor, and learning outcomes ‹ brochure showing number of contact hours ‹ certificate showing CEUs issued

After the district CE coordinator has reviewed the information submitted and granted CEUs, the CEUs earned will be reported to Clergy Development. Clergy Development will send the CE coordinator a CE card and an updated CE report, indicating the cumulative CEUs earned, which will then be sent to the individual minister.

4/17/06