Because of Ministry— Leading for the Future in an Ever-Changing World

Emerging UCC Pastors Experience a Week of Shared Learning, Reflection, and Connection

• What does leadership look like when the ground beneath us keeps shifting?
• How do pastoral leaders remain resilient and relevant when cultural norms, congregational expectations, and community needs are constantly evolving?
• What does it take to lead with clarity and courage in times of uncertainty?

These are not abstract questions. Rather, they are the lived reality of ministry today. The future of congregational life depends on leaders who can navigate complexity, foster authentic relationships, and inspire communities toward justice and hope. Leadership is no longer about maintaining stability; it’s about cultivating adaptability, resilience, and vision.

The Next Generation Leadership Initiative (NGLI) exists because ministry matters. The future of ministry demands leaders who are prepared for more than preaching and administration. It calls for leaders who can think systemically, organize for justice, build relational networks, and articulate a theology of leadership that speaks to today’s challenges.

This week, more than 50 creative and dynamic UCC pastors representing new generations of ministry gathered for the 2025 Next Generation Leadership Initiative (NGLI) Core event, a leadership development experience that aims to equip and empower clergy to co-create vibrant congregations that change lives, engage their communities, and further God’s mission in the world.

She further shared, “During Core, the pastors are invited to remember and deepen their vocational calls, and along with that, we teach new tools and frameworks that can be used when they return home to their congregations and communities. Pastoral leaders are important, but there is no leadership without community, so we always ground the learning experience within the real contexts where people serve.”

Core Learning: Courses That Shape Future Leaders

Beyond worship and spiritual practices, the heart of this experience lies in four intensive courses designed to equip leaders for competence and vocational resilience.

Why This Approach?

Because ministry is not static. It is dynamic, contextual, and deeply human. Pastoral leaders today face unprecedented challenges—declining membership, cultural polarization, economic uncertainty, and shifting spiritual landscapes. The question is not whether these changes will happen; it’s how leaders will respond.

NGLI invests in leaders who can adapt without losing their core identity, who can lead communities toward justice and hope, and who can sustain their own vocational resilience in the process. This is not optional—it’s essential for the future of the church.

Rev. Travis Winckler (pictured left) NGLI graduate and faculty member serving Second Presbyterian Church in St. Louis, said, “I’m honored to lead the Relational Leadership: Strengthening Skills and Heart for Team Building & Community Engagement with Tenneson Woolf (right).  This is an opportunity for pastoral leaders to take a break from the demands of ministry and reconnect with their true purpose—understanding their hearts’ motive for pastoral work, and to equip them with skills for creating effective nurturing teams.” He added, “It also aims to help people in their home settings engage with their community meaningfully through collective action.”

What Next?

We should continue to ask questions should that aim to prepare for the next decade of ministry:

• How do we equip leaders to thrive in ambiguity rather than fear it?
• What practices sustain resilience when the demands of ministry feel overwhelming?
• How can congregations become laboratories for justice, creativity, and spiritual depth?

The answers will not come from one event or one program. They will come from intentional investment in leadership that is bold, adaptive, and deeply rooted in faith.

The Pension Boards is committed to continue investing in clergy in this way, helping to secure the foundation of those we serve and the enduring belief and hope in United Church of Christ congregations that share God’s generosity and justice with their communities and the world.