Clinical Pastoral Education

Distance Learning Clinical Pastoral Education

Distance Learning Collaborative

Building Collaboration Between the CRC & the RCA

This CPE program is offered to pastors from both CRC and RCA churches throughout the United States and Canada.  A cohort of six pastors is selected to meet via video conference twice weekly for three hours each session for four to five months. Participants must have a ministry site at which they work at least 16 hours per week for the duration of the program in order to meet the clinical work requirements for ACPE credit.

Pine Rest will provide CPE seminars, group sharing, and personal supervision through distance learning technology via a digital platform developed for the project.

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2024-25 Unit Dates: October 14, 2024 – April 7, 2025

Application window now closed.

2025 Unit Dates: June 2 – October 24, 2025

Application Deadline: February 28, 2025.

Pine Rest CPE program serves as an excellent forum for Christian Reformed Church (CRC) and Reformed Church in America (RCA) seminary students, ministerial candidates, and congregational pastors to learn together, work together, and support each other in ministry. Pine Rest, the CRC, the RCA, their seminaries, and their directors of ministerial candidacy are collaborating to achieve the following outcomes:

• Improve the lives of parishioners in CRC/RCA churches through improved pastoral leadership and pastoral care skills of the clergy.
• Develop close bonds of friendship and collegiality between RCA/CRC clergy that can lead to improved denominational collaboration.
• Reduce clergy turnover through improved self-care and self-awareness.

Prerequisite: One year in an accredited seminary, or other accredited college or university theological program, or equivalent experience in a ministry setting, a completed application, and an admission interview.

Application fee: $75
Please submit your application along with a check or money order for $75 payable to “Pine Rest CPE.” (Application may be sent electronically, but will not be processed until the $75 fee is received.)

Tuition: $1,000 for CRC and RCA members; $2,800 for non-CRC and non-RCA members
Participants are encouraged to use continuing education funds from their congregations, classes or denomination.

Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services has been providing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) for 45 years. CPE helps pastors and seminarians develop pastoral care skills, self-awareness, and spiritual leadership. Pine Rest’s program is nationally accredited .

The Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) program is designed to train participants in pastoral care ministry through:
• Active engagement in ministry for at least 16 hours per week
• Reflection on ministry experience
• Assimilation of learning into ongoing ministry

Opportunities for clinical reflections occur in:
• Group settings
• Individual supervision
• Seminars with professionals from other disciplines

The CPE program offers seminars about pastoral care as well as experiential learning. A key program component is the time spent in small group discussions. Led by a CPE Supervisor, participants discuss their ministry interactions, what they are learning about themselves and their ministry, and their understanding of the pastor’s leadership role in the congregation. These sessions create strong often lifelong bonds with others in the program.

Dr. Tim Basselin
Director of Field Education & Student Life
Western Theological Seminary
tim.basselin@westernsem.edu
616.392.8555 Ext. 154

Rev. Ecko DeVries
Chaplain, Spectrum Health
Retired Minister of the CRC
eckopat@att.net
616.949.3227

Rev. Dr. Verlyn Hemmen
CPE Supervisor
Retired Minister of the RCA
hemmenverlyn53@gmail.com
651.894.3063

Rev. Dr. Cornelis Kors
Executive Director
Ministerial Formation Certification Agency
Reformed Church in America
ckors@rca.org
562.408.2520

Amy Mancuso
Grants Manager
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
amy.mancuso@pinerest.org
616.281.6363, Ext. 2847

Rev. Dr. Faye Taylor
Acting Director of Field Education
New Brunswick Theological Seminary
ftaylor@nbts.edu
732.247.5241 Ext. 118

Rev. Geoff Vandermolen
Director of Vocational Formation
Calvin Theological Seminary
gav016@calvinseminary.edu
616.957.6045

Rev. Dr. Karl Van Harn
Director of Pastoral Services & CPE
Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services
karl.vanharn@pinerest.org
616.281.6363 Ext. 2902

“I count my CPE experience as one of the most important experiences I had while at seminary.”

“I learned so much about myself and my functioning as a pastor.”

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