Pastoral Writing: for the church, the world, and the pastor


Note: This writing program is designed for early-career pastors. It consists of a two-part workshop on basic lyric craft writing skills over the course of two summers, and three Zoom sessions. The program structure is as follows: a six-day, in-person workshop (Part 1) in summer 2027, a six-day, in-person workshop (Part 2) in summer 2028, and three Zoom meetings with the cohort during the intervening year. Those who apply must be able to commit to both workshop weeks, and the three Zoom meetings.

Workshop Dates:

• Monday, June 21 – Saturday, June 26, 2027 (Workshop Part 1)
• Monday, June 19 – Saturday, June 24, 2028 (Workshop Part 2)

 Zoom Dates:

• Tuesday, September 21, 2027
• Tuesday, January 18, 2028
• Tuesday, March 21, 2028

Zoom Time:  1:00-2:30pm EST

Since the apostle Paul first wrote to the churches under his care, the pastor’s life has been a writing life. This is a workshop for early to mid-career clergy who love words–or who, at least, want to learn to love them. Accepted applicants will form a cohort for shared study over the course of a year, including a workshop in 2027, a workshop in 2028, and three zoom gatherings in the intervening months.

The first summer session will focus on writing for the church (not only sermons but also prayers, newsletters, recommendation letters, text messages, and even instagram captions). The second summer session will widen the lens to include writing for the broader public (via op-eds, articles, denominational resources, and books). We’ll practice close reading of texts, study literary techniques, and consider how pastoral writing can be an effective instrument of formation for the church and world, and for pastors themselves.

Why this emphasis on writing for pastors? Pastors who write well are pastors who have learned to think well: to connect emotion to intellect, to make complex ideas accessible, to consider and address a variety of audiences at once, to think and speak with the nuance that effective Christian formation requires. Learning to write well equips pastors for the work that they needs to do within their congregations—but it also equips them for the inner spiritual work that keeps their own lives of faith from stalling out, that keeps their wells from running dry. Wrestling with words helps pastors attend to themselves, to their congregations, to the world, to Scripture, and fundamentally to Jesus, the Word. Finding the right word isn’t simply an aesthetic pleasure. The right word carries with it theological clarity, spiritual sustenance, and pastoral care.

Co-leader Bios:

Amy Peterson (MA, MFA, MDiv) is the Associate Rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Asheville, North Carolina, and the author of two books: Dangerous Territory (2016) and Where Goodness Still Grows: Reclaiming Virtue in an Age of Hypocrisy (2020). She’s also contributed to Saving Words and Common Prayer, volumes of essays on Episcopal language and worship; and her work can be found in many places, including Image, The Millions, Washington Post, and The Christian Century. Before ordination in the Episcopal Church, she worked in cross-cultural and honors-level academics and student development, teaching in Southeast Asia and the States. Most recently, she taught creative writing, intercultural communication, and interdisciplinary honors courses at a Christian college in the midwest.

Isaac Villegas (MDiv) is the author of Migrant God: A Christion vision for Immigrant Justice, and a contributing editor at The Christian Century magazine. His writing has also appeared in Sojourners and Anabaptist World, among other publications. In his capacity as a Mennonite pastor, he served as an editor and contributed as a writer for sections of Voices Together, the hymnal and worship book of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada.

The Collegeville Institute will cover all workshop fees, room and board, as well as most travel expenses to and from the workshop within the continental United States. International travel costs, and travel from Hawaii and Alaska may be shared between the Collegeville Institute and the workshop participant. Those who join the workshop will be expected to reside at the Collegeville Institute during both weeklong terms, and to join the scheduled zooms.

Application Process: Applications due by Monday, January 18, 2027.  Apply here.