Welcome To Fourth Presbyterian Church

At Fourth Presbyterian Church, residents are “essentially staff colleagues in ministry.” They bring to staff new perspectives while staff members share their experience and resources.

Rather than a rotation model, each resident brings their particular sense of calling and identifies the gaps in their preparation for ministry; from this discernment, residents prepare learning objectives.
Each resident has a pastoral mentor who offers counsel, spiritual care, and professional coaching. Residents also initiate mentoring conversations with other pastors and church staff in the areas of their expertise. As residents take on ministry responsibilities—in accordance with their learning objectives—different staff members provide supervising guidance and oversight. All residents participate in pastoral care under the supervision of the Pastoral Care Team. Residents also work with Lay Advisory Teams who provide support and feedback. These members provide immediate connection to the congregation and facilitate early introductions. The teams also provide feedback as residents preach, teach, lead in worship, and engage in other ministry areas.

Each week, residents hold an afternoon devotional followed by a question and answer presentation by church staff or church members with particular expertise, or with guests from other churches and/or the larger community.

One principle aim, when residents set learning objectives, is for residents to balance ministry work hours between assigned responsibilities and day-to-day ministry demands. Planning the distribution of one’s time in accordance with ministry goals and evaluating how this unfolds in real life are important tools that enhance both the quality of ministry and the quality of life in ministry.

To download a pastoral resident application, please click here.

For more information, contact Calum MacLeod at the church (cmacleod@fourthchurch.org; 312.981.4025).



The Pastoral Residency Program at Fourth Presbyterian Church To download a pastoral resident application, please click *here. For more information, contact Calum MacLeod at the church (cmacleod@fourthchurch.org; 312.981.4025). At Fourth Presbyterian Church, residents are “essentially staff colleagues in ministry.” They bring to staff new perspectives while staff members share their experience and resources. Rather than a rotation model, each resident brings their particular sense of calling and identifies the gaps in their preparation for ministry; from this discernment, residents prepare learning objectives. Each resident has a pastoral mentor who offers counsel, spiritual care, and professional coaching. Residents also initiate mentoring conversations with other pastors and church staff in the areas of their expertise. As residents take on ministry responsibilities—in accordance with their learning objectives—different staff members provide supervising guidance and oversight. All residents participate in pastoral care under the supervision of the Pastoral Care Team. Residents also work with Lay Advisory Teams who provide support and feedback. These members provide immediate connection to the congregation and facilitate early introductions. The teams also provide feedback as residents preach, teach, lead in worship, and engage in other ministry areas. Each week, residents hold an afternoon devotional followed by a question and answer presentation by church staff or church members with particular expertise, or with guests from other churches and/or the larger community. One principle aim, when residents set learning objectives, is for residents to balance ministry work hours between assigned responsibilities and day-to-day ministry demands. Planning the distribution of one’s time in accordance with ministry goals and evaluating how this unfolds in real life are important tools that enhance both the quality of ministry and the quality of life in ministry. To download a pastoral resident application,* please click *here*. For more information, contact Calum MacLeod at the church (cmacleod@fourthchurch.org; 312.981.4025).