Mo School Of Religion, Www.mid-americadisciples.org

Missouri School of Religion

Missouri School of Religion (MSR) began its ministry over 100 years ago in Columbia, Missouri, as a project of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), focused on formal education for pastors and lay leaders in the church. The School quickly attracted interdenominational sponsorship and enjoyed Presbyterian, Methodist and congregational support. By 1930, the School had an interfaith character with the support of the Jewish Student Foundation. To this day, MSR has maintained and celebrated its ecumenical mission.

The certificate in Pastoral Ministry (CPM) Program of MSR-CRM, was developed in 1983, in consultation with the Commission on Ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Mid-America to meet requirements for that judicatory's licensed ministers. The content of the curriculum, the diverse pool of instructors and the ecumenical context of MSR-CRM's work make it appropriate for many denominations to consider.

The CPM Program is designed to be completed in a minimum of three years and utilizes an intensive weekend educational format, intentionally keyed to the schedule of lay persons and bi-vocational pastors. Courses are offered at the Rickman Center, the retreat facility of the Christian Church of Mid-America (CCMA) at the rural outskirts of Jefferson City, Missouri and occasionally in other satellite locations. In 1985, MSR moved to Rickman Center, the retreat center of
the Christian Church
of Mid-America, where facilities were more conductive to these developing programs. Currently, Rickman remains the main "campus" for the educational programs, while the MSR administrative office is now located in the nearby CCMA Regional Office Building.

In 1995, Missouri School of Religion again refined and reshaped its mission by becoming the MSR Center for Rural Ministry, thereby intensifying its focus on its historic mission to the rural church and community. MSR-CRM is governed by a 24- member ecumenical board of trustees representing eight Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church, MSR-CRM staff include: Rev. Fran Schnarre, Director of Educational Ministries and Krystal Jacobs, Office Administrator.

Click here to read more about MSR on their website at www.msr-crm.org