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Continuing Education & Leadership Development

Union Presbyterian Seminary walks alongside pastors, congregations, and neighbors who care about the Gospel, justice, and resilient ministry. Use this page as a quick “menu” of ways you and your church can learn, gather, study, and journey with us.

Discover

Explore the latest reflections, featured resources, and new opportunities from UPSem.

July 2026 issue of Interpretation

President's latest lectionary reflection

A circular stone labyrinth pattern is prominently featured in the foreground, surrounded by a grassy park with trees in the background.

God is powerfully present in creation

Exodus 14:19-31

The latest Curriculum Connection

Find your path

Learn

Grow your leadership and ministry with programs designed for pastors and church leaders.

Leadership Institute
Womanist Leadership Institute
Degrees and Certificates
Center for Excellence in Christian Education
Bridge for Early Career Preachers

Prepare

Find trusted resources for preaching, worship, and spiritual formation to support your ministry.

StoryPath
Lectionary Reflections
Font & Faith
Children's Spirituality Hub
Real Kids Real Faith
Prayer Resources
Resource Centers

Connect

Join conversations and communities that strengthen your ministry and faithful leadership.

Sprunt Lectures
Events
Chapels
Campus Café
Facilities
Hospitality
PSCE Cohorts
Speakers Bureau

Library

Access libraries, collections, and research resources that support your learning and ministry.

Richmond and Charlotte Libraries
Instructional Resource Centers
Archives and Special Collections
Seed Library
Interpretation Journal

All Resources

Centers and Innovations

Leadership Institute

The Leadership Institute equips pastors, educators, ministry directors, and lay leaders with practical, accessible continuing education that strengthens real-world ministry. Through workshops, conferences, online courses, and learning communities, leaders gain fresh perspectives, sharpen skills, and connect with peers from a wide range of contexts. Participants can also stay connected through ongoing offerings, including the Leadership Institute Substack and podcasts featuring practitioners and scholars from across the church.

Womanist Leadership Institute Online Courses

The Womanist Leadership Institute offers online courses in Womanist theology and leadership, co-sponsored by The Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership and the Leadership Institute. Open to all, these small Zoom-based courses can be taken individually or as part of a larger program of study and include CEUs for continuing education. UPSem students, staff, and faculty participate at no cost, and financial assistance is available for others. Courses are capped at 30 participants and all courses award 3.0 CEUs.

Christian Educator Certification (PCUSA)

The Leadership Institute provides all the online courses required for the PC(USA) Certified Christian Educator (CCE) program, offering solid theological grounding and practical tools for those leading Christian formation. Courses rotate regularly, can be taken individually or as part of the certification pathway, and are open to anyone—not just those pursuing the credential. Each course blends live online sessions with flexible weekly assignments and awards CEUs to support ongoing professional development

The Bridge for Early Career Preachers

Designed for pastors in their first seven years of congregational ministry who are preaching regularly, The Bridge provides the encouragement, skills, and support necessary for sustained preaching ministry.

Annual cohorts include:

Public programming includes quarterly webinars on issues facing early career preachers and the monthly Preachercast podcast featuring scholars, practitioners, and participants.

Funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, The Bridge strengthens preachers for long-term, faithful ministry.

Quarterly workshops (three online, one in-person) focused on preaching amid social issues, diverse communities, digital technologies, and relationships
Peer coaching groups and individualized coaching
Digital media consultations tailored to each participant’s ministry context
An annual retreat in Richmond for community, worship, and rest

Center for Excellence in Christian Education

The Center for Excellence in Christian Education supports congregations and leaders who want to deepen, refresh, and reimagine their educational ministries. Building on the historic legacy of the Presbyterian School of Christian Education (PSCE), the Center blends scholarship and practice to help churches nurture meaningful, relevant faith across the lifespan. It serves educators, pastors, congregational teams, families, seminarians, and innovators seeking thoughtful, creative approaches to Christian formation in a complex and changing world.

Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation

The Center for Social Justice and Reconciliation (CSJR) was founded in 2017. Grounded in a ministry that is mandated in scripture, the CSJR was established to remind seminarians of the significance of social justice work as part of ministry and to bring the activist community into the seminary. They provide educational forums to help people learn about relevant movements for change and opportunities for students to be involved in these movements. They also center social justice in our larger seminary community, advocating for the inclusion of justice concerns in our collective ethos and in our course offerings.

Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership

The Katie Geneva Cannon Center for Womanist Leadership was formed “to inspire, equip, connect and support Black women divinely motivated to serve as change makers in their community.” The mission statement reflects the visionary insight of the late Dr. Katie Geneva Cannon, Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Social Ethics at Union, who, in 1974, became the first African-American woman to be ordained in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). The Center is organized around three core values:

It is rooted in sisterhood, recognizing that the experience of Black womanhood is an isolating experience of overwhelming responsibility and persistent oppression.
It is unapologetically committed to the wholeness, liberation, justice, and self-sustainability of Black and marginalized communities.
It is in tune with the Spirit and the Folk, not isolated in academia, but anchored and grounded in the priorities and desires of those it serves and in the work of the Spirit that inspires these women.

Syngman Rhee Global Mission Center

Children, Youth & Families

Union Presbyterian Seminary offers a rich ecosystem of resources to support congregations in nurturing faith, especially among children and families. Through tools like StoryPath, Font & Faith, the Children’s Spirituality Hub and Real Kids Real Faith, the Charlotte Resource Center, and the Richmond Instructional Resource Center, churches gain access to practical materials, research-based guidance, and communities of learning. Together, these initiatives equip leaders to create meaningful, spiritually formative experiences rooted in Scripture, worship, and the everyday lives of children and their families.

StoryPath: Resources to Nurture Faith

StoryPath is a resource from the Center for Excellence in Christian Education of Union Presbyterian Seminary, equipping parents and all who nurture faith by connecting God’s story with the stories in our lives so that we see the presence of God in everyday life. StoryPath is an excellent resource for those involved in educational ministry in the church, featuring a searchable theme index, a scripture index, the Revised Common Lectionary, the Narrative Lectionary, and the Justice Lectionary. StoryPath also hosts reviews of faith-based children’s literature, and regularly invites writers to share their reviews.

Font & Faith: Congregational Gatherings

The Font & Faith initiative at the Center for Excellence in Christian Education helps congregations live into the promises of baptism by nurturing the faith of children through worship and prayer. This initiative supports churches seeking to make worship more hospitable, participatory, and spiritually formative for children.

Font & Faith hosts in-person summits for solo-staff congregations, multi-staff congregations, and individual church leaders. Summits include biblical and theological exploration, deep listening, contextual analysis, leadership development, and practical tools for congregations.

Journey Groups are small communities united in a common commitment to walk together as they grow in welcoming (children), worshipping (children), and praying with children sharing experiences and being sustained by Font & Faith.

Children’s Spirituality Hub & Real Kids Real Faith

Funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., the Children’s Spirituality Hub explores how children’s spiritual lives are shaped in today’s rapidly changing world. The Hub engages scholars, practitioners, and families in research, conversation, and innovation, and provides research grants.

Real Kids Real Faith, launched in 2021, turns research into practical tools for raising and supporting spiritually grounded children. Through blogs, vlogs, podcasts, and downloadable resources, Real Kids Real Faith offers guidance on:

Spiritual practices
Talking with children about social issues and popular culture
Creating effective learning environments
Nurturing faith at home and in church

Charlotte Resource Center

The Charlotte Resource Center at UPSem Charlotte is a community hub for students, congregations, and churches across the Presbytery of Charlotte and neighboring presbyteries. With an updated barcoding system, patrons receive a library card and can access self-service checkout, online curriculum resources, and on-site support.

The CRC is open whenever the Charlotte campus is open, with personalized assistance available by appointment with Renda Brinson on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon–4:00 p.m. and Thursdays from 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

Created in partnership with the Presbytery of Charlotte, the Center now serves hundreds of leaders from more than 35 congregations and continues to grow as a regional resource for Christian education.

Richmond Instructional Resource Center

The Instructional Resource Center, located on the second floor of the Richmond campus library, offers a wide range of materials to support children, families, and congregations. The Center houses creative equipment, posters, puzzles, LEGOs, games, and an extensive collection of children’s books—providing churches and ministry leaders with hands-on resources for teaching, worship, formation, and community life. The IRC also hosts resource guides for faith formation, mission, pastoral care, worship, Christian education publishing, and digital tools for ministry.

Degrees & Certificates for Ministry

At Union Presbyterian Seminary, theological education is both rigorous and rooted in community. Our hybrid and residential options in Richmond and Charlotte make seminary study accessible and affordable—without compromising the depth of formation that defines a Union education. Through a blend of online learning and intentional in-person gatherings, students experience academic excellence alongside shared worship, meals, and fellowship. Whether you study through the Charlotte hybrid format, the Richmond hybrid residency, or as part of the Community Scholars, you’ll join a diverse, supportive learning community committed to faithful, creative, and compassionate leadership in today’s world.

Degree Programs
Certificates

Degree Programs

Union Presbyterian Seminary offers a full range of graduate and dual-degree programs through hybrid programs in Richmond and Charlotte—including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Christian Education, Master of Arts in Public Theology, Master of Theology, and the Doctor of Ministry—to equip leaders for preaching, teaching, Christian education, public witness, and specialized ministries in the church and world. Whether you are discerning a call to parish ministry, Christian education, community advocacy, or academic and theological leadership, these programs blend rigorous study, practical formation, and supportive community.

Union Presbyterian Seminary is committed to making theological education accessible and affordable for all who are called to study here. Degree-seeking students who complete their admission application by the June 1 final deadline are eligible for significant tuition support, with aid available to those enrolled at least half-time in their degree program.

Certificates

Union Presbyterian Seminary offers two flexible certificate programs for leaders who want focused formation without committing to a full degree: the Certificate in Christian Education (C.C.E.) and the Certificate in Public Theology (C.P.T.). The C.C.E. engages pastors, educators, and congregational leaders in best practices for educational ministry—building core competencies in educational theory, faith formation, and teaching that nurtures relevant, dynamic faith in a changing church. The C.P.T. deepens the capacity of those engaging public issues such as policy, ecology, economic justice, gender, interfaith relations, and race and reconciliation, drawing on the resources of the Christian tradition to serve the common good.

Library

Union Presbyterian Seminary’s libraries in Richmond and Charlotte serve pastors, congregations, students, researchers, and neighbors with robust print and digital collections, research support, study spaces, and practical tools for ministry. Beyond traditional library services, resources like the Instructional Resource Center, Digital Learning Lab, Special Collections & Archives, the Interpretation journal, and the community seed library help leaders deepen theological study, create media for worship and education, explore church history, and connect faith with everyday life.

Library Privileges - Richmond & Charlotte

UPSem’s libraries welcome pastors, alumni, congregations, researchers, and neighbors. The libraries provide print and digital collections, research support, study spaces, and instruction. Community memberships are available for a modest annual fee of $25.

Richmond (Morton Library)

Community members, UPSem alumni, and guests may register as patrons. A Patron Lounge provides comfortable seating, a refrigerator, microwave, kettle, computer access, and printing.

Charlotte

Open to UPSem students, faculty, staff, alumni, consortium members, Sharon Presbyterian Church members, and community guests. Registration is available online or at the circulation desk.

For more information, staff on both campuses are available to assist with patron registration and research needs.

Instructional Resource Center (Richmond)

The Instructional Resource Center curates tools and resources to support congregational life—from curriculum tools to digital media resources to downloadable content. Staff continually update lists of recommended materials and welcome suggestions from church leaders.

Digital Learning Lab

A dedicated space in William Smith Morton Library for creating digital multimedia projects for worship, teaching, and communication. Students, faculty, and church leaders can access equipment and training for video, audio, and other media projects.

Digital Audio Collections

Compact discs featuring classic theologians Reinhold Niebuhr and Paul Tillich are available for purchase through the Instructional Resource Center.

Special Collections & Archives

UPSem’s Special Collections include approximately 5,200 rare books and periodicals dating from 1470–1830, with particular strengths in:

Presbyterian and Reformed traditions

Biblical studies
Theology and church history
Homiletics and Christian education
Missionary work

The Rare Book Reading Room houses an outstanding collection of 19th-century children’s books and Sunday School materials. The Archives preserve over 1,500 linear feet of manuscripts, newspapers, institutional records, and personal papers of faculty and church leaders.

Access to Special Collections is available by appointment on weekdays when staff are present.

Interpretation Journal

Seed Library (Richmond)

The UPSem Library and Shalom Farms have partnered to create a free community seed library in the Morton Library on the Richmond campus. Housed in a vintage card catalog, the collection offers a growing selection of vegetable, fruit, herb, and flower seeds—available to the public whenever the library is open, with no membership required. The project encourages Richmonders to grow healthy, climate-resilient plants, connect with the earth, and enjoy the spiritual and physical benefits of gardening, with simple sign-up and seed-selection steps to help keep the collection thriving for everyone.

Worship, Events & Campus Spaces

Richmond Hospitality

Union Presbyterian Seminary’s Richmond campus invites pastors, neighbors, and friends into a rhythm of gathering, worship, and community life through events and spaces that are open to the public. The annual Sprunt Lectures offer a signature gathering for pastors and Christian leaders; Yaupon Place provides an eco-park for healing, justice, and shared story; and weekly chapel services and community meals create a regular space for worship and connection. The Campus Café adds another layer of hospitality, offering good food and conversation that knit together students, faculty, church leaders, and the wider community.

Sprunt Lectures — Annual Gathering for Pastors & Christian Leaders

The Sprunt Lectures are UPSem’s signature annual event—one of the longest-running theological lecture series in the country. Pastors, alumni, scholars, neighbors, and Christian leaders gather in Richmond each year for lectures, worship, storytelling, conversation, and connection.

The 116th Sprunt Lectures (2026) featured:

Lecturer: Dr. Gregory Ellison, Candler School of Theology
Preacher: Rev. Anna George Traynham

Sprunt is open to the public and requires registration. This event offers theological depth, meaningful worship, and an opportunity to connect with colleagues in ministry, seminary faculty, and old friends.

Yaupon Place Eco-Park

Yaupon Place is an eco-park and public ministry on the Richmond campus—a space for cultivating community, ecological healing, and spiritual wellness. Named for the native yaupon plant, the park provides space for local, accessible community-building, ecological partnership, and environmental restoration practices that restore mind, body, and spirit and reconcile ecological and historical injustices. Building on UPSem’s history of serving Northside Richmond, Yaupon Place welcomes community partners, neighbors, and congregations into programming rooted in story, eco-spirituality, and healing. The space is open to the public and features a walking trail and a playground. Yaupon Place can also be booked for community events.

Lake Chapel & Watts Chapel (Richmond)

Campus Cafe & Community Lunch

Thompson Hall

Set on the edge of the Richmond campus quadrangle, Thompson Hall offers comfortable guest rooms in a distinctive setting—rich with character, thoughtfully maintained, and genuinely lovely. It’s an ideal home base for alumni gatherings, conferences, leadership retreats, and quiet time away.

Click here to make a reservation

Nightly Rates — Thompson Hall

Single Occupancy: $65/night (UPSem students: $25/night)
Double Occupancy: $90/night (UPSem students: $30/night)

Note: Thompson Hall is a historic building, and the main entrance includes stairs. Please let us know if you have any accessibility requests, and we will do our best to accommodate your stay.

Click here to make a reservation

Why Guests Love Thompson Hall

UPSem at Richmond offers accommodations for guests at the beautiful and charming Thompson Hall. The building has a prime campus location—located next to the William Smith Morton Library. The three floors of guest rooms are well suited to accommodate individuals, pairs, and groups. We hope to host you soon!

Guest Room Features

En suite bathrooms
Closets in each room
Hair dryers provided
Linens supplied

Shared Spaces and Amenities

Library and parlor—common areas perfect for conversation, reading, or reflection
Full kitchen with Keurig and drip coffee maker and toaster oven
Wi-Fi
Family-friendly touches, including high chairs for children
Iron and ironing board available
Hosting your event in a setting with access to green space, the library, and Yaupon Place

Ideal For

Leadership retreats
Pastoral retreats
Alumni events and gatherings
Church retreats
Conferences and small-group retreats
Hosting your event in a setting with access to green space, the library, and Yaupon Place

Speakers Bureau

UPSem faculty are available to speak in congregations, presbyteries, conferences, retreats, and community events, bringing deep expertise in Scripture, theology, ethics, history, pastoral care, Christian education, preaching, public theology, and global mission. Topics range from Bible and ethics to race and religion, children’s and youth spirituality, leadership in times of change, and practical tools for preaching and formation in today’s church. Faculty may be contacted directly to discuss availability, scheduling, and honoraria.

Learn more about our most valuable resource – our faculty – here.