McCormick Theological Seminary
MIN 425 Seminar on the Practice of Ministry
Deborah J. Kapp, Ph.D.
dkapp@mccormick.edu
773.947.6327 (office)
Office Hours: Wednesday afternoons or by appointment
Course Description; Through the development of their individual ePortfolios students will
demonstrate and discuss their understandings of ministry and their readiness to practice it after
graduation. Class activities will include critical reflection upon leadership, the Lord’s Prayer,
seminary learning, and the development of vocational plans. Registration is limited to masters
students who are in their final year of study. It is required for all graduating MAM, MAUM, and
MADD students.
Course Objectives: By the end of this course students will. . .
1. Assess, demonstrate, and discuss how they have met each of the learning outcomes
identified for their degree program.
2. Develop a resume, statement of vocational philosophy, and other supporting materials
appropriate for their vocational goals.
3. Assemble and present a professional ePortfolio about their seminary career and vocation.
4. Discuss the Lord’s Prayer and its meaning for their ministry.
5. Identify and discuss the tasks and challenges of religious leadership in their settings for
ministry.
Degree Level Learning Objectives Engaged by the Course:
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Core 3: Communicate effectively. Students will demonstrate their ability to write clearly as they
draft reflections and a vocational statement. The ePortfolio itself will also be a communication
tool through which students will portray themselves as successful learners and competent
religious leaders. The presentation of the ePortfolio will demonstrate students’ organizational
skills and ability to speak in public.
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Core 1: Think critically. Students will reflect critically upon how they have met each of the
learning outcomes in their degree program. They will discern, select, and upload artifacts that
demonstrate their achievement of the outcomes.
MDiv 5: Exhibit pastoral imagination. ePortfolio construction presents an opportunity for
students to integrate their personal narratives, professional development, and professional
experience. It also gives students a platform on which to demonstrate their vocational
understanding and competence.
MAM 5: Serve effectively in congregational ministries. ePortfolio construction gives students
opportunities to discern, articulate, and demonstrate their skills and capacities for congregational
leadership.
Technology Requirement:
All students in the class will use either the Goodle Sites or Moodle ePortfolio platform to
construct a personal ePortfolio. We will get started on this in our first class session.
Required Reading – Books:
Boff, Leonardo. Praying with Jesus and Mary: Our Father, Hail Mary. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis
Books, 2012.
Crossan, John Dominic. The Greatest Prayer: Rediscovering the Revolutionary Message of the
Lord’s Prayer. New York: HarperOne, 2010.
Fluker, Walter Earl, Ethical Leadership: The Quest for Character, Civility, and Community.
Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2009.
Heifetz, Ronald. Leadership Without Easy Answers. Cambridge: Harvard Business School Press,
1994.
Required Reading – Articles (will be available electronically on Moodle):
Dugdale, Kate. “Understanding the Lord’s Prayer as a Paradigm for Prayer.” Stimulus: The New
Zealand Journal of Christian Thought and Practice 19:3 (September 2012): 30-37.
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Mattam, Joseph. “The Our Father: The Revolutionary Prayer of Commitment to the Kingdom of
God.” Afer 35:2 (April 1, 1993): 69-78.
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Heschel, Abraham Joshua. “On Prayer.”
http://www.notredamedesion.org/en/dialogue_docs.php?a=3b&id=417
Shomanah, Musa W. Dube. “Praying the Lord’s Prayer in a Global Economic Era.” Ecumenical
Review 49:4 (October 1997): 439-450.
Stendahl, Kristor. “Your Kingdom Come.” Cross Currents 32:3 (September 1, 1982): 257-266.
Course Assignments:
1. Complete on time the assigned readings, writing, and weekly activities that are posted on
Moodle. 10%
2. Participate actively in class discussions face-to-face or on line. 10%
3. Work with one or two other classmates to develop and lead one discussion segment on
the Lord’s Prayer as scheduled on September 16, October 21, or November 11. 10%
4. Develop an ePortfolio and present it publically to your classmates. Due November 18.
50%
5. Write an essay (2000-3000 words) that discusses your thoughts on leadership, ministry,
ethics, and the Lord’s Prayer. You can take this in any direction you see fit. Due
December 1; we will discuss them in class the next night. 20%
Course Pace and Schedule:


A discussion of leadership and ministry, stimulated by the insights of Walter Fluker and
Ronald Heifetz.
Work on ePortfolio development. Each week students will be expected to identify
resources to be included in their ePortfolios, do some reflection and writing about their
level of achievement in their degree programs, and support each other in ePortfolio
development through listening and offering constructive suggestions. We will work
through the ePortfolio development a few pieces at a time. Since we will be working on
ePortfolios in class, you may want to bring along your lap tops, if you have them.
Reflection on the Lord’s Prayer and its meaning in our lives and ministries.
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
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This class, which was designed in collaboration with students, will provide students with an
opportunity to reflect on their seminary careers, the challenges of ministry, and the vocations
they hope to pursue. Each night we meet, the class will be divided into three segments (45
minutes to an hour each):
The class session on Tuesday, September 30, will be online only. Deborah will be working with
a Doctor of Ministry class that week. Be prepared to spend 2-3 hours in online interaction in lieu
of a face-to-face class.
All other classes will be face-to-face, Tuesday nights, 6-8:50 pm. We will not have class on
October 14 (reading week) or November 25 (Thanksgiving break).
If you have read the course assignment section carefully, you will see that all course work is due
to be completed by December 1. This is not a course in which an incomplete makes sense, due to
the way it is designed to help students develop their projects week by week, so please plan
accordingly. Incompletes will only be granted in very unusual circumstances.
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The Moodle site will have all the electronic readings, exercises, assignments, etc., on it by midAugust. Whenever Moodle and the syllabus disagree (a regrettable but hopefully rare occasion),
go with Moodle.
Leadership/
Ministry
ePortfolio
Development
Lord’s Prayer
September 2
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction
September 9
Heifetz, pp. 1-66
Leadership, Authority
This I Believe
Resumes
Our Father
September 16
Fluker, pp. 1-55
Communication
Cross Cultural
Thy kingdom come
Student led discussion
September 23
Heifetz, pp. 67-100
Adaptive Leadership
Pastoral Imagination
Congregational
Ministry
MTS research
Thy kingdom come
September 30
ONLINE
Fluker, pp. 57-83
Character
Vocational Statements Give us this day our
daily bread
October 7
Heifetz, pp. 101-124
Power
Critical Thinking
Construct Theo
Meaning
Resume building
Daily bread
October 14
READING WEEK
NO CLASS
READING WEEK
October 21
Fluker, pp. 85-119
Sustainable, just
community
Cong. Ministry
MTS research
Daily bread
Student led discussion
October 28
Heifetz, pp. 125-180
On the Edge
Review introductions,
statements of faith,
vocational statements,
resumes
Forgive us
November 4
Fluker, pp. 121-156
Community
ePortfolio review
Debts, sins, trespasses
Money and ministry
November 11
Russell Jeong
presentation 5-6 pm
Heifetz, pp. 181-232
Leading without
Authority
Reference lists
Networking
Presentation Plans
Lead us not into
temptation. . . deliver
us
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Date
5
Class Schedule:
Heifetz, pp 233-278
Staying Alive
ePortfolio
Presentations
November 25
NO CLASS
THANKSGIVING
BREAK
December 2
Fluker, pp. 157-189
ePortfolio
Presentations
Amen
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November 18
6
Student led discussion
Our father (revisited)
7
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