Growing as a Minister in Nebraska
All clergy in standing in Nebraska are expected to complete 10 hours of continuing education annually. This can be anything that supports your growth and ministry — courses, conferences, reading, retreats, coaching, or peer learning. CCN offers several opportunities and resources to support your formation journey.
Annual Clergy Retreat
Ministry is demanding work, and the world our congregations navigate has never felt more uncertain. The annual Nebraska Clergy Retreat is four days set apart for exactly that reality — space to pause, reconnect with colleagues, and recover a deeper sense of purpose and calling.
This year we gather at the beautiful St. Benedict Center in Schuyler, Nebraska, joined by our UCC clergy siblings. Rev. Cameron Trimble — pastor, futurist, and consultant to faith leaders across mainline traditions — will facilitate four days of spiritual grounding, futures thinking, and honest conversation about what it means to lead well in a rapidly changing world.
Come weary. Come with expectation. Come with questions. Come to be encouraged, renewed, and restored.
Made for These Times is an invitation to remember that while the future remains uncertain, our calling remains clear: to cultivate communities of courage, compassion, imagination, and hope.
The Cotner College Education Fund carries forward a 130-year commitment to the formation of clergy and lay leaders in Nebraska. Today the fund provides scholarships for continuing education, supports the annual clergy retreat, and resources other educational opportunities for Disciples clergy and laity across the state.
From 2026 Narrative Budget: 9 scholarships awarded totaling $2,359. $19,852 spent on continuing education for leaders.
Pastoral transitions are a regular part of congregational life in Nebraska — and the skills that help a congregation navigate them well are the same skills that make any pastor more effective. Disciples Home Missions offers two courses through their Disciples Interims program that CCN recommends for all clergy, not just those serving in interim roles.
Interim Ministry Basics equips clergy with foundational tools for leading congregations through transition — and for understanding the dynamics of change, loss, and new beginnings that every congregation faces. Family Systems Theory introduces Bowen Theory and the practice of self-differentiated leadership — helping pastors understand anxious systems, lead with clarity, and show up as a non-anxious presence in the communities they serve.
Both courses are offered online and are open to Nebraska Disciples clergy. CCN encourages all clergy to explore this training as part of their formation.
Looking for other continuing education opportunities? Contact the Regional Minister — we’re happy to help you find the right fit for your formation needs.