The Deacons’ Training Program is a great success already. “This is what we’ve needed all along” says Bishop David Parsons. “Don’t get me wrong, we certainly hope to continue the full 2-year in-person program in Iqaluit, and even expand that to the Western Arctic… but this is like playing catch-up, we need to train a lot of people all at once!” The innovative curriculum has drawn interest – and support! – from around the world. We’re grateful to the New England Company for a grant of $28,000 towards expenses to bring our students to a regional hub for in-person learning twice per year!

Under the new approach being piloted by Bishop Joey Royal and Archdeacon Alexander Pryor, ATTS has traded in the old university-style approach of breaking topics into “subject areas”. Instead modules are based on the practical skills for the many aspects of Northern ministry. “I taught in a traditional seminary setting for 5 years, and I really see the value of that sort of education” says Archdeacon Pryor. “But Northern communities require clergy who are more like tradespeople than university professors”. That means, for example, that there isn’t a Church History course in the program. “Of course Church History is important, but we need to teach the information in a way that future ministers can immediately put it to use.” Northern ministers need a good grasp of Church History to explain the distinctives between the various denominations in our communities, for example, to explain why the other church in town has a congregational structure instead of a diocese. So, those aspects of church history are taught in Module 3: Understanding the Body of Believers, alongside topics of discipleship, spiritual disciplines, and administration.