All Licensed and Ordained Ministers in the Pacific Southwest Region are required to meet the minimum standard of 1.5 CEUs (Continuing Education Units) per year to maintain standing in the PSWR, effective January 1, 2006. 1.5 CEUs equals 15 hours of instructional time.
Ministers can earn CEUs by attending either Regionally sponsored and other religious/spiritual educational opportunities not sponsored by the PSWR.
To apply for CEU credit for Regionally sponsored events, a CEU credit form will be provided for you at the event and will be stamped by event leaders at the end of the event. The minister is then required to submit this stamped form to the Regional Office for the credit to be applied to their ministerial profile. Submit the form and documentation via email to Michel Johnson at mjohnson@docpswr.org or a copy mailed to the Regional Office. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
To apply for CEU credit for events not sponsored by the PSWR, download and print the PSWR CEU Form. Complete the form and attach proper proof that you completed the instructional hours. Submit the form and documentation via email to support@disciplespswr.org or a copy mailed to the Regional Office. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.
Upcoming CEU opportunities will often be shared via PSWR E-Shout. Use the form below to sign up to receive these emails. Please scroll down below for a list of upcoming CEU opportunities. You can also check the PSWR Regional Calendar and the “Upcoming Events” page for information on upcoming events.
DSF CERTIFICATE PROGRAM
ONLINE COURSES
Registration is now open for Theologically-Informed Pastoral Leadership, beginning in March and part of the DSF Certificate Program: Pastoral Leadership in a Divided World.
Theologically-Informed Pastoral Leadership
How do we talk about God? How have understandings of God developed over time, and how do they influence and guide the ways we lead in churches? Many diverse perspectives will be introduced and explored, including feminist, ecological, womanist, postcolonial, minjung, and other varieties of liberation theologies. Emphasis will be placed on helping students articulate their own theological understandings and how to put them into practice.ommunity life, gaining tools to lead with authenticity, compassion, and integrity.
This course is one of 10 fully online offerings in the DSF Certificate Program, designed to strengthen ministry practice, support vocational discernment, and deepen theological grounding — all with flexibility to fit your life.
Why the DSF Certificate Program?
✔ Start the Certificate at the beginning of any month of the year
✔ Ideal for CEUs, vocational discernment, and continuing education
✔ Build practical tools for real-world leadership while learning in community
All courses are fully online: Full Certificate Program: $3,000 / Individual Courses: $300. Scholarships available up to 50% to ensure access for all. Registration for this course closes on February 28. Together, let’s build ministries that heal and uplift. Learn more and enroll at dsf.edu/dsf-collective.
DISCIPLES YOUNG ADULT BOOK CLUB
Feb 24 @ 4 pm PT | Mar 3 @ 4 pm PT | Mar 10 @ 4 pm PT | Mar 17 @ 4 pm PT
Young adults are invited to join our Virtual Young Adult Book Club as we read Staying at the Table by Rev. Terri Hord Owens and explore what it means to be a Disciple in today's world. Together, we'll gather in a welcoming space, led by Disciple young adults to reflect, question, and connect - engaging faith, identity, justice, and belonging through thoughtful conversation and shared learning. Register here.
BEND WITHOUT BREAKING
Co-Sponsored by BELOVED Compassion Network and Disciples Seminary Foundation
Wednesday, February 25 | 10:00 am - 12:00 pm PT
This two-hour event will explore evidence-based spiritual practices for resilience and well-being, drawing on neuroscience and the principles of Compassion Practice. Rev. Dale and Shelly Suggs will guide participants through tools to support mental wellness in challenging times. The seminar takes place Wednesday, February 25 from 10 am to 12 pm PT. Registration coming soon.
RADICAL COMPASSION - LEVEL 1:
GROUNDED IN OUR OWN BELOVEDNESS
Tuesdays, March 3, 10, 24 & 31 | 6:30-8:30 pm PT
Daily, hourly, moment-by-moment, we are confronted by challenges to our self-worth. But what if our habitual response was to experience deep in our bones the truth of our own belovedness? Daily, hourly, moment-by-moment, we are assaulted by violence and suffering. But what if our habitual response was to experience deep in our bones a genuine compassion for ourselves and others that flows freely from our core?
Radical Compassion is a 3-level,12-session online series that cultivates groundedness, self-compassion and compassion for others. Based on the Compassion Practice developed by Dr. Frank Rogers, Jr. and his partners at the Center for Engaged Compassion, the Radical Compassion series uses contemplative practice, storytelling, teaching, and interpersonal sharing to provide participants impactful experiences and “exceedingly doable” strategies for cultivating compassion.
Radical Compassion-Level 1: Grounded in Our Own Belovedness beginning on March 3 consists of four, 2-hour, online sessions that explore the foundation principles of compassion and deepen participant’s grounding, self-worth, and connectedness with their own compassionate core and the Sacred Source of Compassion that holds the universe.
RC-L1 offers 8.0 contact hours / 0.8 CEUs / from Claremont School of Theology. Register at https://RC1-March2026.eventbrite.com
* 1/2 tuition scholarships available for students and clergy without CE/PD funds*
WHAT SILVER CHALICE OFFERS THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH
Wednesday, March 4th | 9:00 am PT | Online Webinar
Have you wondered where to start to advance your intergenerational and older adult ministry programs? Have you found the resources you were seeking? NBAs collaborative partner Older Adult Ministries offers a large collection of resources that can assist you! Join Rev. Lois Kelley, pastor of a unique and creative ministry in the Kansas City area, and NBA Older Adult Ministries Coordinator Jan Aerie to gain an inside view of these resources and learn and share what ministry support and guides you need and wish for. You will find several simple entry points to start or advance your ministry!
There is no cost to attend but registration is required.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY (ONLINE)
July 10-11, 2026
The General Assembly online, with the theme, BEYOND: Love Surpassing (Ephesians 3:14–21), builds on the work that God began last year and marks the first General Assembly of the new triennium as we live into our new structure. Plan to join us online alone or with others at a local assembly gathering in your area for vital worship, discernment, and connection.
Mark your calendar now and plan to participate as we are further “rooted and established in love” that surpasses knowledge. More details to come.
Other dates
Tech Training for Regional and Congregational Tech Leaders Feb 26 & 28, 2026
Registration Opens March 2026 ($30 per person)
Inf Session for Congregational Leaders and Delegates March 2026 – TBA
Portal to enter Congregational Delegates in ALEX opens April 2026
NATIONAL BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION
SENT COHORT - 12 MONTH JOURNEY
Leadership development, healing spaces, and empowerment for Black men, women and girls of African American, Indigenous, and diasporic descent; access to sensory-centered STEM opportunities and products designed for hard of hearing youth; financial literacy to combat online predatory debt—these are just a few of the impactful services provided by the members of NBA’s 2026 SENT Cohort.
“Entrepreneurship is not meant to be done in isolation,” said Rev. Darnell Fennell, NBA’s Director of Social Entrepreneurship. “We need accompaniment—people who listen deeply, encourage faithfully, and challenge us lovingly. I’m excited about how this cohort community will enrich the lives of leaders and strengthen the work they are called to do.”
The SENT Cohort is a 12-month journey where new faith-rooted social entrepreneurs are brought together to be a part of a community of support and growth as they work through an active process of formation and conversation led by NBA’s Social Entrepreneurship program.
LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - EMERGE
Asynchronous Online Course
New Church Ministry is now offering a Leadership Academy course on CHURCHx, an elearning platform built to support mission and ministry. Learn about the DisciplesNEXT framework from the comfort of your own home and at your own pace. This course is ideal for those who work during the week or are bi-vocational. While it provides the same curriculum as those who attended Leadership Academy in person, only the EMERGE track session is currently available. EMERGE participants discern their missional purpose, develop their future stories, and prepare their communities of faith for launch. However, workshops and resources are continuously being added. Access to this course never expires. Learn more
New Church Ministry proudly presents IMPACT, a webinar series that welcomes you on a captivating journey of storytelling and deep mutual learning. In each episode, host and Minister of New Church Strategies Rev. Dr. Jose Martinez invites guests who have defied conventions and fostered vibrant communities of faith to share their invaluable experiences and personal narratives. By exploring the challenges, triumphs, and transformative moments of these visionary leaders, attendees gain invaluable inspiration and direction for their own ventures.
This dynamic series embraces diversity, welcoming influential leaders from a multitude of faith traditions and backgrounds. From established religious institutions to emerging spiritual movements, IMPACT showcases a broad spectrum of voices and perspectives, ensuring participants have a rich tapestry of insights to draw from. While each of its speakers bring a distinct approach and innovative strategies to the table, equipping participants with a toolkit of ideas to create thriving, inclusive places of worship that resonate with today’s seekers, IMPACT emphasizes the power of storytelling as a catalyst for change. Whether you are an aspirational individual looking to make a difference or a member of an established congregation that is considering revitalizing its mission, IMPACT is your transformative guide. Join us as we delve into the profound potential that storytelling has to shape the future of faith communities worldwide. Together, we can ignite a new era of spiritual vitality and make an enduring impact on the lives of those we serve.
CERTIFICATE IN PASTORAL MINISTRY
Join the conversations that will expose you to new ideas, deepen your commitments, and give insights on how to minister in a changing world. The Center for Ministry and Lay Training's online program allows you to explore your call to ministry or even earn a Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. Click here to apply.
Phillips is the only Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) seminary offering this Certificate in Pastoral Ministry. Since 1906, Phillips has been educating those who serve the church and is pleased to continue the 120-year legacy of the Bible College of Missouri through the Center for Ministry and Lay Training.
As a student, you’ll not only learn from our top-notch faculty, but you’ll also build a network of others engaged in ministry. The Center for Ministry and Lay Training is not designed for those who want to do ministry the way it’s always been done. If you want to make a difference in this changing world, we’ll help you push beyond your comfort zone. Learn more about the program and upcoming course schedule.
Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry training consist of two steps and a small group Fieldwork experience. The first step is Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry: The Work of the Leader (FTML). The second step, Fundamentals of Transitional Ministry: The Work of the Congregation (FTMC) builds on the information and experiences of FTML. The curriculum is designed for experiential learning throughout. Participants read content prior to class so that they are able to use the information to understand specific transition situations as found in sacred stories or in congregational case studies. Even in the virtual world connections and conversation are a vital part of the IMN FTM training.
UN*SILENCE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: BECOMING A SENSITIVE RESPONDER TO THE HIDDEN PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
Clergy and lay leaders who are passionate about reducing Domestic and Intimate Partner Violence (DV/IPV) can sign up for a 5 hour training facilitated by Courtney Armento. The course is available for a discounted rate of $117 and is self-paced with occasional live sessions with Courtney for Q&A. In the course, you will discover what to say (and what not to say) to those experiencing DV/IVP so that you facilitate spaces of calm in the midst of their storm. You will become equipped to create safe spaces so that you can empower those going through DV/IVP to make conscious choices. With your help, we can turn around the toxic culture of DV/IVP that unfortunately many have experience in churches and reduce -- dare we say eliminate? -- DV/IVP in our communities. Sign up for the course here (CEU credits available)
Lexington Theological Seminary offers online courses and webinar series to help equip pastors, church leaders and members alike with tools to address a wide variety of issues facing congregations today. Please visit their website for a current schedule of upcoming courses.
Several ministries are offering online trainings and webinars for clergy and church leaders. One source is New Church Hacks, offered by New Church Ministry, a ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that trains, equips, assists and multiplies emerging and affiliating congregations and leaders. New Church Hacks provides clever solutions to tricky problems and empowers courageous leaders with the tools, tips and how-tos to start, sustain and strengthen congregations.
ChurchWest Insurance and their partners are busy developing tools to help your ministries in the weeks and months to come. Please visit their website to browse available webinars. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session (most sessions average one hour).
The Lombard Mennonite Peace Center provides speakers and education resources for churches of all denominations on biblical peace and justice issues, as well as conflict transformation skills training and training for church leaders grounded in family systems theory. It also provides mediation and consultation services for churches, schools, and other organizations. Please visit their website to browse available webinars and educational opportunities. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session.
Union Theological Seminary | Progressive theology has long taken shape at Union, where faith and scholarship meet to reimagine the work of justice. Grounded in the Christian tradition and responsive to the needs of God’s creation, a Union education prepares its students for committed lives of service to the church, academy, and society. A Union education develops practices of mind and body that foster intellectual and academic excellence, social justice, and compassionate wisdom. Union forms courageous faith leaders who make a difference wherever they serve. Please visit their website to browse available webinars and educational opportunities. CEU credits will be given based on the length of the webinar session.