The Church provides manditory training in all three Rites of Passage (Baptism, Weddings, Funerals) and beyond, to all sucessful candiates who have applied to become clergy members in Clergy Support Memorial.  Our overall training program is composed of a mixture of methods, including email and online website information, as well as mentoring, shadowing and webinars.

Firstly, in each Province we serve, the Church has an information blog devoted to the training of its clergy in each province.

Secondly, the Church has a dedicated website which provides detailed basic online training courses.  A regular monthly visit to this website ensures our members maintain and deepen and broaden their knowledge through continuing education.

Thirdly, the church has a Board Certification process. It is the Church Board, made up of a committee of senior ranking officials, who determine either in a ‘postive’ or ‘negative’ vote whether a candidate is deemed sucessfull to become certified clergy in CSMC. Certification in the church is either by Appointment or Ordination. The type of certification determines the path for the candidate to grow their duties and their ministry.

Examples of some of the programs include:

1. Celebrant Training Institute

We have formalized our training with the Church’s new Canadian Ministers Institute. Here, candidates will find detailed training modules such as:

• Clergy Support and Pastoral Care
• The Wedding Planning Meeting
• The Wedding Ceremony
• Baptisms and Naming Ceremonies
• Funerals and Celebrations of Life

This is an ongoing project. The next courses we hope to offer will include LGBTQ+ Sensitivity Training, Making the Most out of Time with Seniors, and What you Should Know About Home Churches.

All new candidates must undergo the Celebrant Institute training program and must successfully complete the modules in full. Candidates are assessed at the end of each module to ensure that they are ready to move on to the next stage.

In addition, current clergy are being asked to complete the same training program to ensure the uniformity of training across all our clergy. Again, each person will be assessed at the end of each module. In this way, we will identify any areas in which further training is required.

2. Mentoring

CSMC offers an extensive mentoring system so new clergy are supported as they enter their new roles. This may take the form of face to face visits with a local mentor, role playing, and accompanying experienced clergy as they conduct pastoral care or life celebrations. If clergy have a specific interest (palliative care and funerals, for example), they may be connected with an experienced expert in that area. If distance is a factor, mentorship for these topics may take place using video conferencing and telephone calls. The mentor is a resource the new clergy can call upon if they need advice or simply wish to talk about their experiences. We hope that this will foster an ongoing relationship.

3. Shared Clergy Experiences

In an effort to show examples of the kind of work CSMC is doing, the Church has started collecting & sharing clergy experiences and faith journeys on our website. Our varied backgrounds and experiences are CSMC’s strength and through doing a better job of sharing them, we hope to better model the type of clergy we have and the work we do. Our clergy will learn from and be inspired by each other’s example.

4. Provincial Training Blogs

On this new Provincial training blog, https://csmcalberta.blog/, one can read expanded information on the subject of our rites and usages. In addition, it contains important published statements regarding Faith, Beliefs, and Ministry. The Church has alerted clergy to the blogs and their purpose.

In particular, please see the following items: