Contextual Education II

In Contextual Education II, typically taken in the second year, students practice ministry in ecclesial settings. All MDiv students must successfully complete six credit hours of Contextual Education II. The components of Contextual Education II are:

• Contextual Education II CE552a (3 credits)

Spring Semester

• Contextual Education II CE552b (3 credits)

Site work
Students are able to choose a site for their Contextual Education II placement in which they work eight hours per week. The site, however, must be able to fulfill the five areas of ministry: Leadership and Administration; Gathering, Proclamation, and Engagement; Pastoral Care and Community Care; Outreach, Mission, and Advocacy; and Religious Education and Spiritual Formation. All students are supervised by a site mentor who is an ordained pastor employed full-time in the setting and a graduate of an accredited seminary. Students who are employed in churches typically work in those churches as their second-year placement.

Reflection group
Along with the site work, students are assigned to a reflection group facilitated by an experienced practitioner in ordained pastoral ministry. Reflection groups meet bi-weekly rotating among the local ecclesial settings where students are serving. Reflection groups are organized by geographic location and meet on Mondays throughout the academic year.

Course work
In addition to the site work and reflection group, students are required to enroll in one three-hour Introductory Arts of Ministry (IAM) course and one Contextual Education Elective (CEE). The IAM and CEE courses may be taken in either the fall or spring semester and may be taken independently of each other. For further information on these courses, visit the Candler Registrar website.

Completion Requirements
All site work and reflection group assignments must be completed no later than one week following the last day of classes. Failure to receive a passing grade from the site mentor and the reflection group teaching supervisor will require a student to re-enroll in Contextual Education II the following year. Only upon successful completion of the site work and the reflection group will a student receive the six (6) hours credit for Contextual Education II. (Note: Students receive an "In Progress" grade for the fall semester. Only when both semesters have been satisfactorily completed will a satisfactory (S) grade be awarded for each semester.)

International Students

International students who qualify for Curricular Practical Training (CPT) may enroll in Contextual Education II. For more information, contact the Contextual Education handbook and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS). International students must receive authorization in the semester prior to their enrollment in Contextual Education II.

Student Reflection

At the beginning of the spring semester, students begin the search for their ecclesial placement for Contextual Education II. 

Selecting a Con Ed II Site

Students are responsible for selecting their site for Con Ed II through one of the following ways:

• Searching our online directory for a list of approved sites
• Attending the Con Ed Meet and Greet, an informal gathering of site mentors interested in hosting a student.
• Choosing a site on their own, provided it meets the guidelines for site placements.
• Making an appointment with Dr. Thomas Elliott, Jr., Director of Contextual Education II, if in need of further assistance in finding a site. Please contact the Office of Contextual Education (404.727.4178) to schedule.

Once a student has chosen a site, they must return the completed Contextual Education II Contract, signed by the student, site mentor, to the Contextual Education office. A student is not enrolled in Contextual Education II without a signed contract on file.

Guidelines for Site Placements

Site Mentor
The site must have a designated on-site mentor to whom the student will be accountable. This person must:

• Agree to supervise the student's participation at the site.
• Be an ordained pastor employed full-time at the site and a graduate of an accredited seminary.

Learn more about the requirements and expectations for site mentors in the adjacent tab.

Guidelines for Ecclesial Practices

The site must provide opportunities for students to practice in each of the following five areas of ministry. Examples include:

1. Leadership and Administration
   • Participate in a staff meeting(s)
   • Analyze the leadership structure
   • Conduct a meeting
   • Explore budgeting, stewardship, and fundraising
   • Develop outreach and communication strategies
   • Work with leaders
   • Other
2. Gathering, Proclamation, and Engagement
   • Deliver a sermon or give a talk
   • Plan a worship service or event
   • Lead and evaluate a worship service or event
   • Speak at a public rally, press conference, or advocacy gathering
   • Other
3. Pastoral Care and Community Care
   • Listen to stories of parishioners and members of the community
   • Visit house-bound, hospitalized, and institutionalized persons
   • Plan and implement a congregational program to enhance pastoral care or plan for community care
   • Talk with community partners
   • Organize community groups
   • Plan and implement a community initiative
   • Start a small group
   • Other
4. Outreach, Mission, and Advocacy
   • Explore the mission of the church or organization
   • Assess community need and assets
   • Plan or participate in an advocacy campaign addressing an issue important to the community
   • Work with an outreach ministry or effort
   • Lead a mission team
   • Network with social agencies organizations, and networks in the community,
   • Other
5. Religious Education and Spiritual Formation
   • Design and teach a class or workshop for adults or youth
   • Lead a Sunday School class or Bible Study
   • Develop curriculum or program materials
   • Other