Try the First Fall Mini-Mester: Practical Zoom Learning for Ministry Leaders Across Ohio
The Leadership Development Team is bringing the first Fall Mini-mester to Ohio, and ministry leaders across the state are invited to give it a try. This new format offers short, focused learning experiences that are easy to access, immediately practical, and designed for clergy, laity, staff, and ministry teams who want to grow without committing to a long course. Participants may register for just one class or choose as many sessions as they like.
All classes run from 7pm - 8:30pm and will be held on Zoom, so that participants can join from anywhere in the state. Whether someone serves in a large city, a small town, a rural church, or a ministry setting with limited travel time, the Mini-mester makes continuing education more accessible. Churches are encouraged to invite others, register together, and consider hosting watch parties from a central location for participants who do not have reliable Wi-Fi at home.
Participants may earn CEUs for Mini-mester participation. One CEU is equal to ten contact hours of participation.
Fall Mini-mester Class Schedule
| Date | Topic | Instructor |
| September 21 | Positive Intelligence - Positive Intelligence explores how our mental habits influence our performance, relationships, and well-being. Participants will learn practical strategies for reducing self-sabotage and strengthening a more positive, resilient mindset. | Coach Michael Anderson |
| September 23 | Clifton Strengths - CliftonStrengths helps individuals identify and understand their natural talents and areas of greatest potential. This session will focus on leveraging strengths to enhance leadership, teamwork, and personal effectiveness. | Rev. Megan Croy |
| September 28 | Core Clarity - Core Clarity provides a framework for understanding personal values, motivations, and purpose. Participants will reflect on what drives them and how greater self-awareness can shape their leadership and decision-making. | Coach Michael Anderson |
| September 30 | Practical Quadrilateral - The Wesleyan Quadrilateral examines the roles of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience in theological reflection. Dr. Boggan has created practical approach that helps leaders thoughtfully engage faith questions and ministry decisions. | Dr. Ashley Boggan |
| October 1 | Recovery - Recovery is a journey of healing, growth, and transformation for individuals facing life’s challenges and struggles. This session will explore principles of hope, restoration, and creating supportive communities. | Rev. Jennifer Whitmore |
| October 5 | Spiritual Direction/Companionship - Spiritual direction and companionship provide intentional space for listening to God’s presence and guidance. Participants will learn how supportive spiritual relationships can nurture personal and vocational growth. | Rev. Sharon Seyfarth Garner |
| October 8 | Cultural Competency - Cultural competency involves developing awareness, knowledge, and skills to engage respectfully with diverse people and communities. This session will encourage curiosity, humility, and practices that foster inclusion and belonging. | Rev. Dr. April Casperson |
| October 13 | Enneagram - The Enneagram is a personality framework that helps people understand their motivations, behaviors, and patterns of growth. Participants will explore how this tool can enhance self-awareness, relationships, and leadership effectiveness. | Coach Suzanne Bandy |
| October 15 | Learning to Fail - Learning to fail recognizes that mistakes and setbacks are often essential components of growth and innovation. This session will help participants reframe failure as an opportunity for learning, resilience, and future success. | Julie Carter |
Watch Party Tips
- Choose a church, district office, library room, or other central location with dependable internet.
- Set up a screen, speaker, microphone, and camera before the Zoom session begins.
- Invite clergy, lay leaders, staff, and ministry team members from nearby churches to participate together.
- Ask one person to serve as the local host who welcomes participants, manages the technology, and helps track attendance.
- Build in a few minutes before or after the class for prayer, conversation, and reflection on how the topic applies locally.
- Encourage each participant to register individually so CEU participation can be documented accurately.
Participants are invited to choose the sessions that best support their ministry context and leadership goals. Whether they want to strengthen personal resilience, deepen self-awareness, expand practical ministry tools, or engage important conversations for today’s church, the Fall Mini-mester offers a low-barrier way to learn with others across Ohio. Some classes will also offer cohort opportunities following the Mini-mester, allowing participants to continue the conversation and practice what they have learned after completing a session. Each presenter will share information during their class about continued learning opportunities.
Because this is the first time the Mini-mester is being offered, this is the perfect season to experiment, invite a colleague, gather a small group, and discover how short-form learning can strengthen ministry across the state. The topics are practical, the format is flexible, and the opportunity is designed to help leaders grow in ways they can apply right away in their congregations and communities.
Registration is available online at https://www.westohioumc.org/form/mini-mesters.
Please contact jcarter@wocumc.org with any questions.