Keeping Our Sacred Trust

The Lewis Center’s Keeping Our Sacred Trust series of online courses addresses ethical boundaries in ministry. They are designed help clergy avoid potential misconduct or ethical violations.

The series currently includes two courses:

• Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics. Previously known by the title Keeping Our Sacred Trust, this is the first and foundational course in the series. It is a primer on preventing clergy sexual misconduct. The course creates awareness of what constitutes misconduct, factors that can lead to misconduct, and positive steps that can prevent even the appearance of misconduct.
• Maintaining Boundaries in a Digital Age. This course explores issues of clergy ethics and responsibility in an era of instantaneous, electronic communication. It builds on the first course, Understanding Clergy Sexual Ethics, but focuses primarily on new opportunities, risks and concerns in the rapidly changing landscape of electronic media and social media.

Keeping our Sacred Trust courses are presented on a password-protected, custom-designed online learning platform. Once you enroll, you will be notified as to your username and can establish your own password. You can log in and out of the course at your own convenience. The online learning format allows users to:

• Learn via written instruction, video presentations, interactive scenarios and personal reflection exercises.
• Work at your own pace, taking the time necessary to process information and reflect.
• Engage in honest self-reflection with an online system that is completely confidential.
• Study when and where it fits your schedule.
• Avoid the time and expense of travel to workshops or seminars.

The cost for an individual to enroll in a Keeping Our Sacred Trust course is $49. Upon successful completion of each course, the Lewis Center will issue you .5 CEUs. Certificates of completion are sent to course participants by email.

Keeping Our Sacred Trust courses are open to clergy of any denomination and non-denominational pastors. Individuals can register on their own. Or, the Lewis Center can work with denominations, judicatory leaders, educators, or others to set up group enrollment. To discuss setting up enrollment for a group, contact the Lewis Center for Church Leadership by phone (202-664-5701) or by email at lewiscenter@wesleyseminary.edu.