Theology of mission matters. Your mission-involvement matters. This Cohort explores local relationships and global networks and how you get and stay involved in both.

It explores immersion mission trips, disaster recovery and rebuilding, all-church offerings and connections, and personal relationships using lenses of interfaith engagement, partnership as accompaniment, and economic well-being.

Part 1: Interfaith Engagement – From Common Table to Common Cause

Part 2: Journeying Together in Partnership– Proximity and Accompaniment

Part 3: Community Resilience & Solidarity – Joining the Most Vulnerable and Excluded

Facilitated by Rev. Betsy E. Martin Bruaw 

Rev. Bruaw is blessed to be a graduate of Eden Theological Seminary, Class of 1990. She serves as pastor of Peace United Church of Christ in Denver, Pennsylvania. She has spent most of her 34 years of ministry in local congregations of the Penn Central Conference of the UCC.

Rev. Bruaw has been a leader in ecumenical efforts locally and globally; she has led pastor exchanges between the UCC and the UEK, led the Disaster Readiness and Recovery efforts of the Conference, spearheaded local efforts addressing the effects of bullying, and currently works with her colleagues on addressing assistance for homeless families and food security among school-aged children.

Digital content created by Rev. Mary Schaller Blaufuss, Ph.D.

Dr. Schaller Blaufuss serves as Vice President for Advancement andCommunication at Eden Theological Seminary. She works with Eden alumni, fund-raising, communications, church and organizational partnerships, and occasionally teaches. Between 2005 and 2019, Mary served on the United Church of Christ national staff as Team Leader for Global H.O.P.E. of Wider Church Ministries coordinating UCC national and global ministries in disaster, refugee, global sustainable development, and as Executive for Volunteer Ministries in the United States. She previously taught at the United Theological College in Bangalore, India as mission co-worker with Global Ministries.

Her academic writings include Experiments in Mutuality: The United Church of Christ in Global Mission (1985-2010) and Changing Goals of the American Madura Mission in India, 1830-1916. She has an upcoming book titled, Joining God in the Thin Places: Theologies Active in Natural Disaster. She has authored multiple book chapters, papers and presentations on themes of mission theology and on vocational discernment. Rev. Dr. Schaller Blaufuss holds degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary, Eden Theological Seminary, and Westminster College, Fulton, MO.

Completion of each Ministry Cohort provides 9 contact hours of continuing education, subject to approval by the participant's credentialing body.

Dates: 6:30-8pm CT, May 6, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, 2025

all cohort meetings will be online

Ministry Cohorts

 Ministry cohorts allow you to sample many theological themes, offering peer learning with your ministry context in mind. Scholars have chosen a specific lens on a particular topic and share their expertise through digital content you watch on your own time.  Four monthly online meetings are interspersed, where you and your cohort members gather for facilitated discussion with an experienced church leader.

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