Goals and Standards
of
The Preaching Excellence Program

The Episcopal Preaching Foundation conducts an intensive, week-long conference designed to foster quality homiletical formation for seminarians of the Episcopal Church. The goals of the conference are:

•  to provide already experienced student preachers further opportunity for developing their technical skills, and deepening their sense of vocation
•  to promote collegial interchange among those in the various seminaries who will soon be assuming a preaching role in the church
• to generate support for excellent preaching in the church as a whole
•  to strengthen the discipline of homiletics in Episcopal seminaries and dioceses

The program includes:

•  student preaching, listening, and professional reflection in a small group setting, supervised by a seasoned leadership team consisting of homiletics professors and parish priests
•  presentations on critical dimensions of the preaching life by staff and invited guests
•  daily morning and evening worship, with preaching at each service
•  informal interaction among students and staff
•  limited free time for cultural enrichment in local conference area

Participant invitations are issued by the Foundation to each Episcopal Seminary and to Episcopal students at non-Episcopal seminaries. Seminaries are asked to certify that all of their participants:

1)  have already completed satisfactorily at least one academic course in homiletics and
2)  are specifically preparing for ministries of preaching in the church and are postulants

Funding for this conference is underwritten by efforts of the Foundation. Each participant, in effect, receives a scholarship covering the cost of travel, tuition, food, and lodging, in an average approximate amount of $ 1,750. Participants affirm their support for the goals of the conference, and for their conference colleagues by agreeing to:
 
1)  attend each plenary session, preaching group meeting, and worship service of the conference;
2)  prepare an assigned sermon in advance of the conference, deliver that sermon to their preaching group, and also deliver a sermon that will be prepared during the week;
3)  complete a written conference evaluation prior to departure;
4)  discuss issues addressed at the conference with respect for the diversity of perspectives inherent in any Christian community;
5)  Conduct oneself in a manner that befits a Christian and a leader in the Church.