Shared Foundations for Ministry
Common theological, spiritual, and practical foundations for CRE formation—and valuable renewal for seasoned pastors and other experienced leaders.
Explore the 100 SeriesChurch Commons Training
Formation for faithful leadership
Practical formation for the whole church. CREs, pastors, elders, deacons, chaplains, church staff, and other leaders are welcome. Some courses belong to formal CRE pathways; others may be taken simply because the formation is useful.
How the curriculum works
Course numbers locate courses within the curriculum; they do not measure the learner’s experience.
The 100 Series establishes shared foundations. The 200 Series focuses on congregational practice. Both can provide valuable continuing education for seasoned pastors and other experienced leaders.
Prerequisites apply only when explicitly listed.
Church Commons is an independent educational and consulting practice owned and operated by Matthew J. Skolnik. It is not a nonprofit organization.
Congregational Leadership and Practice
Focused formation for the realities of congregational ministry. These courses can strengthen both emerging leaders and experienced pastors seeking deeper practice or continuing education.
Explore the 200 SeriesMuskingum Valley Presbytery
Explore MVP’s three-stage Commissioned Ruling Elder pathway, participation guidance, and the distinction between completing formation and receiving a commission.
View the MVP partner pageCurriculum
Course Catalog
Explore the curriculum whether or not a particular course is currently scheduled.
Course cards are brief overviews. Open a course for its complete description, objectives, audience, and any actual prerequisite.
FORM 101 · 100 Series
Ministry Profile
Personal Formation
This course is an immersive retreat designed to help participants clarify their ministry identity and name their primary ministry function for the current season of life and leadership.…
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FORM 102 · 100 Series
Spiritual Formation as a Practice
Personal Formation
This course invites students into spiritual formation as a lifelong practice shaped by rhythm, attention, and discernment rather than technique or performance. Drawing from the Reformed tradition and…
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FORM 103 · 100 Series
Self-Knowledge
Personal Formation
This course focuses on developing self-knowledge as a core component of faithful and sustainable ministry. Through guided reflection and the use of selected personality and leadership assessments, students…
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FORM 104 · 100 Series
Healthy Boundaries
Ecclesial Structure and Accountability
This course provides required training in healthy boundaries and ministerial conduct for those serving in commissioned ministry. Grounded in the theological commitments of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and…
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FORM 105 · 100 Series
Psychological Evaluation and Debrief
Ecclesial Structure and Accountability
This course centers on psychological self-assessment and reflective integration as a component of preparation for commissioned ministry. The evaluation process is typically conducted through LeaderWise and includes a…
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POL 101 · 100 Series
Introduction to Polity
Ecclesial Structure and Accountability
This course introduces students to the polity of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) as a living system that shapes the life, governance, and ministry of the church. Grounded in…
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PRAC 101 · 100 Series
Preaching Lab 1
Foundational Ministry Practice
This workshop introduces foundational skills for effective preaching by focusing on communication, structure, and listener engagement prior to advanced work in biblical interpretation and exegesis. The course is…
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PRAC 102 · 100 Series
Practicum: Leading the Sacraments
Foundational Ministry Practice
This practicum prepares students to lead the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper faithfully, reverently, and pastorally within the Reformed tradition and the polity of the Presbyterian…
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PRAC 103 · 100 Series
Practicum: Community Mission as Relationship Building/Christian Community
Foundational Ministry Practice
This practicum introduces students to the theory and practice of Christian mission as a community-building endeavor rooted in relationship, mutuality, and shared witness, rather than solely in meeting…
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PRAC 104 · 100 Series
Practicum: Moderating
Foundational Ministry Practice
This practicum focuses on the practice of moderating congregational leadership meetings with clarity, purpose, and pastoral wisdom. The primary emphasis is on moderating Session meetings and committee meetings,…
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PRAC 105 · 100 Series
Practicum: Witness to the Resurrection—Leading a Funeral
Foundational Ministry Practice
This practicum prepares students to lead funeral and memorial services as a faithful witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and as a pastoral act of care for…
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THEO 102 · 100 Series
How We Believe: Foundations for Presbyterian Thought
Biblical and Theological Foundations
Presbyterian theology is not simply a list of doctrines or a collection of perfectly settled answers. It is a communal practice of listening, interpreting, questioning, deciding, and remaining…
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FORM 201 · 200 Series
Spiritual Formation II: Sustainable Ministry and Self-Care
Leading Self and Congregational Systems
This course deepens the practice of spiritual formation within the specific demands of congregational pastoral leadership. Building upon foundational work in spiritual disciplines and self-knowledge, students examine the…
- Recommended preparation
- FORM 102 — Spiritual Formation as a Practice
FORM 202 · 200 Series
Family Systems Theory and Congregational Care
Leading Self and Congregational Systems
This course introduces students to family systems theory as a framework for understanding congregational life, leadership dynamics, and emotional processes within the church. Drawing from the work of…
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FORM 203 · 200 Series
Healthy Conflict and Communication in Congregational Systems
Leading Self and Congregational Systems
FORM 203 equips students to lead through congregational tension with steady presence, clear communication, and spiritually grounded resilience. The course explores how conflict functions in anxious systems, how…
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POL 201 · 200 Series
Church Finance and Stewardship Systems
Leading Structures and Stewardship
POL 201 provides a practical foundation for financial governance in congregational and presbytery contexts. Students learn how money functions as a theological and organizational reality—shaping trust, mission capacity,…
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POL 202 · 200 Series
Stewardship and Generosity Leadership
Leading Structures and Stewardship
This course explores stewardship and generosity as theological practices that shape congregational identity, mission, and discipleship. Rooted in Scripture and the Reformed tradition, the course examines how financial…
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POL 204 · 200 Series
Building Management and Property Stewardship
Leading Structures and Stewardship
Church buildings are more than assets to maintain; they are tools entrusted to the church for ministry and mission. This course introduces students to the practical and strategic…
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PRAC 202 · 200 Series
Practicing Congregation Leadership: Designing Healthy Boards and Ministry Systems
Leading Structures and Stewardship
This practicum develops advanced competencies in congregational leadership through the intentional design of healthy boards, ministry structures, and decision-making systems. Building upon foundational work in polity, moderating, and…
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PRAC 203 · 200 Series
Leading Transformative Bible Study
Leading Outward in Mission and Care
This practicum develops the skills and theological grounding necessary to lead Bible study as a formative, communal practice within the life of the congregation. Building upon foundational biblical…
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PRAC 204 · 200 Series
Community Engagement Practicum: Mission, Evangelism, and Relational Presence
Leading Outward in Mission and Care
This practicum equips congregational pastors to lead communities into faithful, relational engagement with their local contexts. Building upon foundational work in community-based mission, the course moves from participation…
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PRAC 205 · 200 Series
Christian Presence: Prayer, Visitation, and Spiritual Care
Leading Outward in Mission and Care
This practicum develops the capacity for sustained Christian presence in moments of vulnerability, transition, illness, grief, and spiritual questioning. Grounded in the hope of the gospel and the…
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Upcoming MVP Training
A preview of the published 2026–2027 schedule. Times are Eastern.
Muskingum Valley Presbytery CRE Formation · 2026–2027
Times are Eastern. Locations marked “To be confirmed” will be updated before the offering.
| Date | Time | Course | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, Sep 11, 2026 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | 100 SeriesFORM 101 · Ministry Profile | Cambridge area |
| Sat, Sep 12, 2026 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | 100 SeriesFORM 101 · Ministry Profile | Cambridge area |
| Fri, Sep 25, 2026 | 6:00 PM–9:00 PM | 200 SeriesFORM 201 · Spiritual Formation II | To be confirmed |
| Sat, Sep 26, 2026 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | 200 SeriesFORM 201 · Spiritual Formation II | To be confirmed |
| Thu, Oct 1, 2026 | Time to be confirmed | 100 SeriesFORM 105 · Psychological Evaluation begins | Individual process |
| Sat, Oct 10, 2026 | 9:00 AM–3:00 PM | 100 SeriesTHEO 102 · How We Believe | To be confirmed |
Offering-specific registration links will appear as each roster opens.
Bring a Church Commons course to your setting
Churches, presbyteries, synods, and other ministry organizations may host an exclusive course or invite external participants into an offering. One host remains responsible for registration, participant payments, refunds, and the teaching agreement, so learners always know who is providing the offering.
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