Suggestions for the Meeting of Learning Partners 

Schedule for Theological Reflection: The meeting between learning partners should be scheduled weekly for one hour for summer internships or monthly for year-long internships. This should be designated as dedicated reflection time, not a time for staff task planning. This could also be an occasion for helping the student intern with time management facilitated by the student keeping a Ministry Activity Log that might be reviewed by the field instructor. The Ministry Activity Log can allow a student to raise both practical and theological issues during the course of practicing ministry.

Prayer for guidance at the beginning of the conference and again at the conclusion can help open all learning partners to emerging insight.

Note: In preparation for the learning team meeting, students may refer to notes on the Ministry Activity Log written throughout engaging in ministry work.

Recollection of an event by the student intern:

• The student intern goes over his/her recent experiences in the setting and identifies for discussion a significant event, incident, or happening which has occurred between her/himself and persons at the site. The event may have happened while the student functioned as a pastor to someone, made a hospital or home visit, received feedback on a sermon or talk, or performed some other act of ministry. (NOTE: At this point, evaluation of the student’s behavior is not discussed. “Significant” refers to the importance, weight, or meaningfulness this event has for the student in the recollection of the event.)
• The student identifies thoughts and feelings which occurred at the time of the event
• The student identifies what she or he said or did as a pastor. How were the student’s words and actions in/out of touch with his or her feelings?

Conversation together between learning partners: As the student intern recalls an event in ministry, the student-intern’s learning partners mostly listen and ask clarifying questions. Explore togethernow and moving forward:

• What theological assumptions or faith commitments was the student living out in this event?
• What theological assumptions or faith commitments are evoked for the learning partners?
• What may we draw from the Scriptures and the Tradition to inform these assumptions and to inform this reflection now?
• How does the student view this particular event theologically now?
• How does this theological perspective address or inform the student’s style and method as a minister more generally?
• What new insight or guidance might the learning partners want to offer in light of this theological reflection?
• Was this event cause for the student-intern to intentionally plan and make adjustments in her/his understanding of ministry for the future?

Closure: It is important not to focusing on fixing a problem but to offer options and to invite the student’s perceptions and reflections. It is helpful to suggest resources or to identify ways in which you have responded to similar experiences. It is usually not helpful to make “right and wrong” judgments. It is helpful to be frank with the student, affirming strengths and recognizing areas of weakness that need work. Close with prayer.

Further resources for theological reflection between learning partners can be found in the PMM Handbook, especially chapters 2 and 5. Learning partners and student interns should also consult the individual course syllabi for recommended reading on theological reflection.

NOTE: Periodically, the reflection between learning partners and the student intern should also include review of progress on the student’s learning goals. The student will be evaluated on these goals and needs regular feedback for his or her own learning.

The central event in the contextual studies experience is practical theological reflection involving all of the learning partners focusing on what is happening for the student intern as she/he goes about tasks of ministry.