Next Gathering: Phoenix, Arizona
October 12-15, 2026
Join us in the heart of the Navajo Nation and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community for our upcoming NACOS Session. Coursework will center around church administration, and the role of the Contemporary Church. Be prepared to enjoy arid landscapes and the stunning beauty of Arizona sunsets that transport us through color, the spiritual depth of creation and the resilience of desert life. We look forward to a wonderful experience with you.
Classes Available
Administration & Polity
Instructor:
Rev. Jodie Flessner and TBD
Course Description:
This course focuses on the importance of developing competency as an administrator in a United Methodist congregation.
Course Objectives:
Students will be able to
Articulate a Biblical and theological understanding of polity.
Understand and explain the polity of The United Methodist Church, including conferencing, oversight, and discipline.
Articulate the nature of stewardship Biblically and theologically.
Identify techniques and develop skills as effective administrators of local churches, including financial management.
Required Texts:
Laceye Warner, The Method of our Mission
Lovett Weems, Leadership in the Wesleyan Spirit
Reference:
2024 Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church
Bible IV: Prophets, Psalms & Wisdom Lit
Class information coming soon.
Theological Reflection on the Practice of Ministry
Instructor:
Rev. Dr. Jerome (Jerry) DeVine
Email: mustangrev2018@gmail.com
Cell phone: 810-247-7601
Course Description and Objectives:
This course is the culmination of the student’s basic course of study and experience in ministry. Its focus is the integration of the biblical, theological, and practical aspects of ministry.
Students will have the opportunity to:
Articulate what they have learned over their years in COS and pastoral ministry about pastoral identity, practices of ministry and the knowledge/skills needed for ministry.
State clearly the mission of the Church and how it relates to pastoral ministry.
Articulate a Trinitarian theology for the practice of ministry.
Develop a plan for continued growth.
Required texts:
Pastor: The Theology and Practice of Ordained Ministry, by Will Willimon
Introducing the Practice of Ministry, by Kathleen Cahalan
Attentive to God: Thinking Theologically in Ministry, by Ellen Blue and Charles Wood
Coming Full Circle: Constructing Native Christian Theology, editors: Steven Charleston and Elaine A. Robinson [select one chapter for this course]
Congregational Care
Description:
This course introduces students to practices of congregational care and the pastor’s responsibility in caregiving in a variety of situations. Readings, class experiences, prerecording’s, movies, videos and course assignments are designed to deepen the students’ appreciation for the collaborative ministries of the pastor and the congregation, with a particular focus on working with Native American persons.
Goals:
Students will be able to:
Implement and oversee appropriate types of care in various settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and homes.
Organize caring ministries within the congregation.
Reflect on and practice skills of sensitive caregiving, using role play and analysis of case studies/verbatims, and how to keep appropriate records.
Discern and implement appropriate boundaries, knowing when and to whom to refer people, and when and when not to share information.
Comprehend and use the gifts that each student brings to congregational care.
Develop skills of listening, pastoral presence, and empowerment of others that are shaped by the cultural and local context and by the Gospel.
Implement appropriate boundaries and develop further awareness of self-care.
Overview:
The course has five separate segments, the first focuses on understanding the value of story; the second Native American concepts in counseling and planning for the Advent season; African American Pastoral Care and Listening Skills; Assessment and Crisis and its importance in congregational care; and Recognizing patterns in congregational life regarding grief, change, conflict and trauma.
Books under review for Required Reading:
Keep Going: The Act of Perseverance Joseph Marshall III, Sterling Ethos: New York, 2006.
Women Out of Order: Risking Change and Creating Care in a Multicultural World Editors Jeanne Stevenson-Moessner & Teresa Snorton Fortress Press 2010
Read Chapter 6 (included in the email)
African American Pastoral Care and Counseling: The politics of oppression and empowerment Ed Wimberly.
Crisis Counseling in the CongregationLarry Webb, Abingdon Press, 2011.
Other books under review for recommended are:
Duran, Eduardo. Healing the Soul Wound: Counseling with American Indians and other Native Peoples. Teachers College, 2006.
Jackson, Cari. The Gift to Listen the Courage to Hear. Augsburg, 2003.
Justes, Emma. Please Don’t Tell: What to do with the Secrets People Share. Abingdon, 2014.
Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, and Switzler. Crucial Conversations. McGraw Hill, 2012.
Richardson, Ronald. Creating a Healthier Church. Augsburg, 1996.
Rogers, Dalene Fuller. Pastoral Care for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Healing the Shattered Soul. Routledge, 2002.
Scheib, Karen. Pastoral Care: Telling the Stories of Our lives. Abingdon, 2016.
The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict, 2nd edition. Arbinger Institute, 2015
Please fill out the form above if you plan to pay by check, or if NACOS is billing your District Conference.
More information to come…
The Phoenix area is rich with Native American history and culture. It is home to 22 Tribal Communities and over 300,000 native people. Over the next few weeks, look back to this space for additional announcements of planned activities and opportunities during our gathering for engagement with the local (and driving distance) Native American cultures of Southern Arizona. As always, our time together will be one of deep spiritual and cultural impact.