Spiritual Formation Practices in Multicultural Contexts
2023: Through a planning grant, Spiritual Formation Practices in Multicultural Contexts, Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary’s Campus for Urban Ministerial Education (CUME) will design its programs for institutional learning that would elevate how they engage the ministry needs of the city and the spiritual formation of ministry leaders in the current, critically evolving context. Specifically, this grant will enable CUME to investigate and design for that context and thereby refine its equipping of urban leaders. As urban spiritual formation practices are revisited for a multicultural context, the seminary, students, alumni, and church communities will all benefit, continuing to build the cultural competencies of students.
Virginia currently serves at the Boston Campus of Urban Ministerial Education (CUME). She has over 30 years of experience teaching youth ministry, leadership, and urban ministry development. Virginia serves as an Associate Pastor at Abundant Life Church, has worked with various ministries, and co-authored a book on hope and children.
The Strengthening Pastoral Formation for Ministry in the City initiative involves seminaries, theological institutions, and churches and intends to help communities and institutions explore and assess their own urban context and church life; gain clarity about their mission and programmatic offerings; and strengthen and support the design and implementation of plans to address key challenges and opportunities for pastoral formation and flourishing congregations in urban settings.
I pray that every tribe, nation and tongue will live in freedom.