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SAES Equip chaplains and rectors

July 29-30, 2025
St. Francis Episcopal School
Houston, TX

 
Are you a newly called School Chaplain?  Or a newly called Rector to a parish with a school–which is a new ministry experience for you? Perhaps you are a Head of School in a parish that has called a new curate to serve as School Chaplain.  In any of these instances, SAES is excited to help you with our Equip Chaplains and Rectors program.

The role of the Chaplain is critical to the successful expression and practice of a school’s Episcopal Identity. Because fully trained and ordained chaplains who are also skilled classroom practitioners, are hard to find and challenging to afford, many Episcopal Schools turn to lay candidates or those ordained in another tradition to lead or supplement their chaplaincy programs. Alternatively, school leaders may have identified someone who is ordained by the Episcopal Church and interested in school chaplaincy but lacks experience in school settings or leading worship specifically for children.  Likewise, many experienced priests find themselves ready to lead the parish as Rector but aren’t sure how to interact with the school community.

This program is designed for both lay and ordained persons who may be called to serve as Chaplains in school settings and for Rectors who would like a crash course in how schools work. The program will provide participants with a “toolbox” of practical information about the work of ministry in schools, a network of veteran chaplains and rectors in school settings, and a cohort of fellow learners from similar school settings.

Participants will be able to design and lead:  
 
  • Worship that reflects
      -  The Anglican liturgical tradition
      -  Pluralistic school settings as distinct from parish congregational worship
      -  Developmentally appropriate practices
      -  Respect for school and parish traditions and culture
      -  The role of chapel in fostering a school’s culture, and its importance in school celebrations and time of trial
     
  • Teaching about the Christian faith that reflects
      -  Traditional Anglican scriptural and sacramental beliefs
      -  Respect for those from other Christian and non-Christian traditions
      -  Faith and belief as topics worthy of study and essential to the whole person
      -  Developmentally appropriate practices in congruence with teaching in other subject areas
     
  • Pastoral Support
      -  For students, families, and faculty
      -  For persons of varying religious backgrounds
      -  In partnership with parish clergy when available and appropriate or in partnership with pastors or youth 
         ministers of families’ home congregations.  
      -  In partnership with other school administrators, counselors, and support personnel
     
  • Service Learning that
      -  Recognizes the educational and formational aspects of service to others
      -  Connects students to local, national, and global needs
      -  Is developmentally appropriate and distinct from parish mission work
      -  Contributes to school spirit and culture
Participants will also discuss the role and the call of a chaplain and rector in a school and consider:
  • The importance of understanding each school’s culture and the chaplain’s perceived role.
  • How chaplains relate to the Head of School and, in parish day schools, the Rector.
  • How Chaplains are both like and unlike teachers and administrators in schools.
  • How to work in partnership with parents of children from different religious traditions or no religious tradition.
  • The expectations of chaplains in times of crisis.
  • Organizations that can offer various forms of support for Chaplains.

Registration Fees

 

Member Schools: $365.00 per person (lunch included both days)

Non-Member Schools: $400.00 per person (lunch included both days)

 
Cancellation & Financial Policies: Cancellations received two weeks prior to the event will receive an 80% refund. After that time, replacement registrants are welcomed but no refunds are available. 
 
Medial Release Policy: 
Attendance at, or participation in SAES meetings and other activities constitutes an agreement by the registrant to SAES's use and distribution (both now and in the future) of the registrant or attendee's image or voice in photographs, videos, electronic reproductions, and audio of such events and activities.

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