The Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership forms ministers and leaders for service in the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand and partner churches.

We work in partnership with a variety of groups and networks, including Te Aka Puaho, the Pacific Island Synod, the Council of Asian Congregations, Presbyteries, United District Councils, and congregations.

In addition to training people for National Ordained Ministry, the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership also provides training for Local Ordained Ministers, Local Ministry Teams and other recognised ministries in the Church. We support presbyteries and congregations in their leadership development, and help resource continuing ministry formation among the Presbyterian Church’s ministers and elders.

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Events and Notices

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From 27-31 January 2025, Dr Karen McClintock will teach an intensive course in Dunedin entitled Trauma-Informed Ministry. The course is jointly offered by the Theology Programme, University of Otago, and the Knox Centre for Ministry and Leadership.

This course familiarises students with origins, definitions, and treatment of trauma from multiple disciplines. Trauma’s impact on the body, soul, relationships, and spirituality will be highlighted, along with congregational and community care. The course explores individual mental health concerns in the contexts of family of origin, intergenerational trauma born by repeated oppression and injustice, and community-wide traumas. Students will learn key principles of trauma-informed pastoral care in multi-ethnic contexts and discuss and develop their own ethical standards for trauma care.

The block course will start at 1pm on Monday 27 January and conclude at 1pm on Friday 31 January 2025. Classes will be held on the University of Otago Campus, Dunedin.

The course will have five modules:

1. Introduction to the Topic of Trauma.
2. Offering Trauma-Informed Care – Principles and Prejudices.
3. Building Confidence and Competence.
4. Theological questions as “quests”. 
5. Healing Modalities.

About Dr Karen McClintock:

Karen has published extensively within the area of pastoral care, trauma recovery, and trauma-informed care.  She is a former faculty member in the psychology department at Southern Oregon University. She continues to teach online courses in family secrets, trauma recovery, and trauma-informed care.

Her books include:

• Trauma-Informed Pastoral Care: What to do when things fall apart (Fortress Press, 2022)
• When Trauma Wounds: Strategies for Healing and Hope (Fortress Press, 2019)
• My Father’s Closet (Ohio State University Press, 2017)
• Shame-Less Lives, Grace-Full Congregations (Alban Press, 2012)
• Healthy Disclosure: Solving Communication Quandaries in Congregations, with K. Ruth (Alban Press, 2007)
• Preventing Sexual Abuse in Congregations.  (Alban Press, 2004)
• Sexual Shame: An Urgent Call to Healing. (Fortress Press, 2001)

For further information about Karen go to: https://karenmcclintockauthor.com/

How to enrol

The course can be undertaken in two ways:

AUDIT

1. You can attend the course as an audit student through KCML. This will cost $600. Under this option, you would not do any assessment, and the paper would not be credited to a qualification, but it would count as ongoing professional development for PCANZ.
   To register for this option, contact: the KCML registrar – registrar@knoxcentre.ac.nz
   
   Subsidy for PCANZ Ministers for Audit
   For ministers in the PCANZ, who are in good standing and have Presbytery approval – a study grant amounting to 75% of course fees have already been approved. A travel/accommodation grant will also be paid upon application. The travel/accommodation grant is based on geographical region.
   Application form for the subsidy can be accessed here. Applications must be received by Friday 13th December 2024.
   
   (no late applications will be accepted)

OR

CREDIT

• You can enrol with the Theology Programme at the University of Otago and take the course as either PAST 307 or MINS 405. The former can be credited to a BTheol or Diploma for Graduates, the latter for a Postgraduate Diploma in Ministry or a Master of Ministry, a Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma in Chaplaincy or the Master of Chaplaincy, a Postgraduate Diploma in Theology or a Postgraduate Diploma in Faith-based Leadership and Management. Or the paper can be taken as a ‘Certificate of Proficiency’ and credited to a qualification at a later point. If you enrol for an Otago paper, assessment will follow throughout Semester 1.
  The cost is yet to be set for 2025, but the cost for PAST 307 in 2024 is $981.75 and for MINS 405 is $1,240.75 and fees may increase by around 6% in 2025. Online enrolment for the course opens on 1 August 2024. To enrol go to www.otago.ac.nz and click on ‘Apply to Enrol’.

For further details contact the Theology Programme, theology@otago.ac.nz, or phone 03 479 8639.

Subsidy for PCANZ Ministers studying for Credit
For ministers in the PCANZ, who are in good standing and have Presbytery approval – can apply for a Ministers’ Study Grant as per the usual process and deadlines. Details can be found here.