The Art of Transitional Ministry Part 1 (Spring 2025)

The Art of Transitional Ministry Part 1 introduces students to intentional transitional ministry leadership. Once called Interim Ministry, The Art of Transitional Ministry Part 1 introduces students to the Arc of Transitional Ministry - featuring deeper conversations about entering systems, assessing needs, considering history and current context, considering the role of conflict and healthy departing. We start in a place believing all ministry is transitional and that understanding congregational systems theory undergirds the work we do. Our goal is to provide pastors with tools for leading in the midst of transition while providing a supportive and safe learning community for exploration and questioning. 
 CEU Certified Instructor 

Jan
Nolting Carter 

 CEU Certified Instructor

Paul Rhebergen

This course is a part of the Transitional Ministry Education Consortium (TMEC) offerings for transitional ministry education and meets the standards of the Interim Ministry Network (IMN). 
Presented by

Transitional Ministry Pathways

Course Format

Synchronous Online Course

Course Duration

7 weeks,
30 hrs + prep


The Art of Transitional Ministry Part 1 begins on Thursday, February 6, 2025 and continues for seven weeks, ending on March 20, 2025. The classes will meet from 10:00-1:30 EST. 

What's included?

  • 7 Online Sessions
  • 4 CEU Credits
  • 1 Cohort Group of support, encouragement and community
  • A framework for leading change in congregations
  • Resources for your continued journey

Leading in Transition

You will learn how to effectively engage a congregation in an intentional change process, whether it is change in leadership or changed in mission and ministry. You will integrate systems analysis and theory, frameworks for change, frameworks for approaching conflict to guide your congregation through transitions. This class qualifies as Part 1 of Interim Training. 

Denominational Requirements

This course exceeds denominational standards for Interim/Transitional Ministry Education and awards 4 CEUs to students seeking Continuing Education credits. 

About this Course

This course was formerly taught at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.  This course is a part of the Transitional Ministry Education Consortium (TMEC) offerings for transitional ministry education. It is a prerequisite for taking Part 2 and meets the standards of both TMEC and the Interim Ministry Network (IMN). 

This certificate meets The Diamond Standard™ for CEU Certification for 4 CE units (40 contact hours) for religious, social, and civic professionals. 
MEET our TEACHING TEAM

Transitional Ministry Pathways

Jan Nolting Carter

Co-lead Teacher and Program Leader
Jan approaches Transitional Ministry with a nuanced understanding of systems, training in Healthy Congregations and Mediation, and a curiosity about the intersection between context and living theology. 

Ordained for nearly 28 years as a minister in the Presbyterian Church USA, for the last 18 years, Jan has served 8 different congregations in a transitional capacity--large and small, rural and urban, thriving and questioning sustainability. She sees, teaches and coaches through the lens of a woman in leadership and attentive to the particular experiences of women. Informed by her early work bringing ethnography to the classroom, Jan has worked with Paul and a team to curate a learning experience that is sensitive to adult learners and our yearning to grow in community. 

Jan holds degrees from Duke University (AB), the University of Pennsylvania (MSEd), McCormick Theological Seminary (Mdiv) and Columbia Theological Seminary (DMin). 

Paul Rhebergen

Co-lead Teacher and Program Leader
Paul serves as the unofficial dean of Transitional Ministry Education. With thirty-five years of experience interim and transitional ministry and over 45 years of ordained ministry in the Presbyterian Church USA. 

Paul has served 13 different churches and has been a part of the evolution of thinking about leading change in congregations. Filled with a knowledge of history, Paul approaches teaching transitional ministry with a learner's heart and a questioning soul.

Paul is well versed in Systems and change theory. Paul is a conflict expert, experienced as a trained mediator, a Healthy Congregations Facilitator and a continuous learner in understanding of working with complex systems in the midst of conflict. 

Paul holds degrees from Lafayette College and Andover-Newton Theological Seminary.