As part of Coolamon’s vision to be a part of equipping the whole people of God, we are pleased to share in education that can support Christians for ministry in their community.

Coolamon offers particular topics designed for professional involvement within schools and hospitals, especially for chaplains and chaplaincy assistants, as well as other interested lay leaders seeking to enhance their discipleship. Consider:

Explore Stream

CMLW 216 Teaching Faith: Religious Education in Schools
Students will be equipped to teach religious education in a range of educational settings. They will consider issues such as teaching ethically, understanding students, multicultural settings, students with special needs, discipline and pastoral care, and discern implications for their own practice.

CMLW 220 Global Discipleship – Mission, Justice, Development
Developing an introductory understanding of theological and contextual issues of world mission, human rights and social/human development, students will learn to “read” the world as disciples of Christ. Faith has an impact on how we act as global disciples in our neighbourhoods.

CMLW 223 Evangelism: Reaching people for Jesus through the Local Church
Students will have a basic understanding of evangelism and how it can be approached in appropriate ways, especially through the local church rather than as a separate activity. They will explore ways in which evangelism can take place.

Deepen Stream

THEO2519 Drawing near with compassion: Pastoral care in a hospital setting I
This topic seeks to integrate pastoral care, spiritual growth and theologising in a hospital context for you as carer as well as for those for whom you care.

THEO3508 Infinite Respect: Pastoral Care in a hospital setting II
This topic builds on the work done in the previous topic, which is a prerequisite. It continues to integrate pastoral care, spiritual growth and theologising in a hospital context for you as carer as well as for those for whom you care.
Students who have successfully completed Pastoral Care in a Hospital Setting Units 1 & 2 may apply for an Award in Ecumenical Hospital Ministry and Pastoral Care.

Coolamon College also offers two special programmes for leaders of the Christian church. While these relate specifically to the Uniting Church in Australia, many other leaders have found the work both spiritually and intellectually renewing: transforming their own minds through the mind of Christ.

Lay Preacher Studies

Coolamon College offers a statement of completion of the core study topics for the Uniting Church Lay Preachers’ Certificate. All Synods of the Uniting Church have agreed that this statement represents completing the academic requirements of the Lay Preachers’ Course either in whole or in part. (Uniting Church Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are encouraged to negotiate with the UAICC about training specific to their situation.)
Please note that for accreditation as a Lay Preacher in the Uniting Church other requirements will also apply, such as preaching a number of sermons and having these evaluated.
Topics in this stream are under continuous review, with new or revised studies due in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Most Coolamon Lay Preacher students work within the Vocational Education and Training (VET) Sector, through the CMin award of the Adelaide College of Divinity (ACD). The education we offer in distance mode is part of the nationally recognised Cert IV in Ministry and relies on ‘achieving competence’ in various areas of study.
Some students preparing for the ministry of Lay Preacher study topics within the BTh, BMin, or postgraduate awards. For further information, see the Deepen Stream booklet.
Students hoping to be accredited as Lay Preachers are advised that the selection of Lay Preachers is in the hands of the Presbytery. Written application is made to the Presbytery through the minister of the Parish (see Uniting Church Regulation 2.8.4).

The UC Lay Preachers’ Certificate includes the completion of the following six topics.

1. CMBT 236 Introduction to the Old Testament
2. CMBT 003 Introduction to the New Testament
3. CMBT 244 Theology – Uniting Church Perspectives
4. CMBT 242 Further Thinking about Christology
5. CMLW 222 Worship in the UCA
6. CMLW 215 Preaching – God’s word in human speech

This certificate is not an accredited award of the ACD, but a statement of completion of the academic component of studies towards Lay Preacher certification. Students need to make application in writing to Coolamon upon completing the above topics.

Coolamon Continuing

Coolamon College is committed to supporting the growing emphasis on professional development for persons in positions of responsibility within the church, including its various community agencies. Formal placements within the Uniting Church in Australia requires ministers to initiate learning contracts with the presbytery, as well as undertaking such new forms of training as the church from time to time requires (for example, in the policies and procedures regarding ministerial misconduct).

Within its wide range of topics related to awards from Bachelors to PhD levels, Coolamon is able to offer genuine choice for those fulfilling their professional development obligations.

Some ministers, for example, might choose to work towards the BTh degree, or one of the postgraduate awards, offered by Flinders University. Others might be more interested in studies related to the MMin Award of the Adelaide College of Divinity. Still others may have a particular interest in one or two individual topics.

Coolamon Continuing is a new approach designed to meet these various needs. As with all our topics in Distance Education mode, the intention is to provide what you need most, where you already are. In this way, students are able to make vital links every day between their new studies and their existing ministry. This is a genuinely transforming process, not only for the minister but also for those who share in the ministry.

Most of those seeking this level of serious discipleship will find their interest drawn toward the Higher Education sector, Coolamon’s Deepen Stream. For full details of our higher education topics, please ask the national office for a (free) copy of the Deepen Booklet.

Topics available for Coolamon Continuing students include:

Spiritual growth
History of Christian spirituality
Christian prayer: the practice of spirituality
Creation spirituality

Biblical studies
Pentateuch
Matthew
The Gospel of John
Corinthians

Theology and church history
The early church to A.D. 500
The Western church in the Middle Ages
The Reformation
The diaconate in history
Theology – Uniting Church perspectives
The Trinity
The Person and Work of Christ
Women’s studies in religion and theology
Christians and social justice

The practice of ministry
Leadership
Evangelism
Children’s ministry
Establishing new congregations
Worship
Preaching
Youth ministry (2 units)
Discipleship (2 units)
Pastoral care in a hospital setting

Society and culture
Mission in the Australian context
Mission possible
Sociology for Ministry
Towards Reconciliation – a Theological Understanding
Exploring Cross-Cultural Ministry