Our Reach & Impact

The Transformative Power of Relationships is Catching on!

In just a few short years, The Center for Transforming Engagement has expanded our reach to share this exciting model for reimagining ministry. And it’s making a difference.

“Even still – 2+ years later, there probably isn’t a week when something from the program doesn’t come to mind in some helpful and guiding way in my life and ministry.” – Circle Participant

Individuals Worked With

In Grant Money (dollars) Received

Participating Organizations

Sponsors, Clients & Partners

Denominational Leadership

  • The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia
  • The PC(USA) Presbytery of the Northwest
  • Vineyard USA

Churches:

  • Federal Way Church of Christ
  • Fairwood UMC
  • St Luke’s Episcopal
  • Maple Valley Church
  • Evangelical Covenant Church

Nonprofits & Social Good Organizations:

  • Street Psalms
  • Parish Collective
  • Rooted Good
  • Ingalls Creek Enrichment Center
  • Hispanic Access Foundation
  • InterVarsity Christian Fellowship
  • Common Table Collaborative
  • Impact Movement and SW Indigenous Community
  • The Center for Being Known
  • Leaders’ Roundtable
  • Krista Foundation

Academic Organizations

  • Vancouver School of Theology
  • Brehm Center at Fuller Theological Seminary
  • Leadership Education at Duke Divinity School
  • Association of Theological Schools

“The pandemic had derailed our sense of momentum. Having Transforming Communities to consult with us, train us, lead us and guide us has really gotten us unstuck.”

Ferdie Llenado, pastor of Fairwood United Methodist Church

“I’ve learned so much in such a short period of time. Rose and Phil are both so knowledgeable and compassionate; I felt very welcome, respected, and valued by both them and everyone else in my circle. All the information so far has been shared in insightful ways, pairing personal experience with each example.”

“Transforming Communities gave us steps to know ourselves, know the community, and form partnerships. It laid the groundwork for things we wanted to do but we [previously] didn’t have the systems in place.”

Research and Publications

Some of Our Work

  • Association of Theological Schools:  “Building Resilience to Trauma into Theological Education with Narrative Process Peer Groups”
  • Leadership Education at Duke Divinity:  “Clergy Burnout”
  • Hispanic Access Foundation: “Clergy Burnout”
  • InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: “Resilience,” keynote presentation for NW regional staff
  • Common Table Collaborative: “Best Practices for Effective Clergy Small Groups.”
  • Impact Movement and SW Indigenous Community: “A Conversation on resilience”
  • The Center for Being Known: “Belonging to Become”
  • NW Coast Presbytery of the PC(USA): “Resilient Pastors & Congregations”
  • Free Methodist Church: “Story as a Tool for Resilience,”
  • Vineyard USA: “Resilience for church planting”
  • Impact Movement: “Developing Resilience”
  • Leaders’ Roundtable: “How We Gather Now”
  • Evangelical Covenant Church: “Forming Resilience in Pastors”
  • Instagram Live: “Creating Your Self-Care Menu”
  • Resilience in Crisis Webinar Series
  • Practical Resilience
  • Resilience for Spiritual Caregivers
  • Resilience for Mental Health Professionals
  • Creating Your Self-Care Dashboard

“Our whole team had a wonderful experience, and I’d encourage any church that is feeling stuck–do this [Transforming Communities] program and be amazed at what God is going to show you. You will come through it encouraged, strengthened, and bonded with your people.”

John and Judith Hix, pastors of Seattle Vineyard church

“In August I will reach 29 years in ministry, and I’ve had some tremendous developmental opportunities in that time. But I can truly say that there are NONE that have influenced me so concretely and clearly as the [resilience program] has.”

“I feel so blessed to be part of this [resilience program] cohort. I am learning so much and see the opportunities to grow and develop new understanding and practices. I want to thank you all for what you do and the goodness, care, safety, and kindness that you bring to us and this work and discovery.”

Outcomes Stats for Circles

Capacity to tolerate stress:

81% reported growth

Self awareness:

81% reported growth

Ability to deal with conflict in your vocational context:

100% increased

Self-compassion:

96% reported growth

Ability to find purpose/make meaning in your story

100% reported growth

Ability to cultivate supportive relationships

95% reported growth
Upcoming Virtual Summit
Leading During Polarizing Times
Register for the Virtual Summit!
This FREE online event is designed for ministry leaders seeking practical tools, spiritual wisdom, and renewed strength to lead faithfully when your church community faces deep differences.
No Thanks, I am not interested
Upcoming Virtual Summit
Leading During Polarizing Times
Join the waitlist today!
This FREE online event is designed for ministry leaders seeking practical tools, spiritual wisdom, and renewed strength to lead faithfully when your church community faces deep differences.
No Thanks, I am not interested
Full attendance and participation during all sessions are expected to complete the program.
Terms / Conditions. By registering for a Resilience or Leaders Circle, you agree to the following (scroll down and click agree)
Please consider the schedule closely to ensure you will be able to participate in the virtual meetings, and block off your calendar to ensure your attendance. Should you have an emergency (illness, situations out of your control) that will impact your participation please email transforming@theseattleschool.edu
Time commitment:
Two hours one day per month for 8 months, dates to be determined by majority of registrants' availability and adjusted as needed during the first group meeting.
Your feedback is immensely valuable!
As an essential component of your participation in this program, we ask that you provide us with your honest, candid, and timely feedback in program surveys and conversations, and consider providing reviews or testimonials of the program for promotional use.
Code of Conduct:
The Center for Transforming Engagement strives for intentionality in the ways we relate to one another - how we as a team relate to each other, how we relate to participants, and how we hope participants will relate to us and one another. To that end, we hold cultural norms about the ways we interact with one another. Your participation in this program is contingent on your agreement to abide by these cultural norms. i. For growth to happen, we all need to be able to share about the deeper challenges we face. To provide that atmosphere of openness and support, you commit to not sharing personal information that is shared in program meetings. ii. In our interactions with each other and our communities, we practice the humility of not-knowing that is required to listen and discover. iii. Be aware of different cultural and characterological ways of communicating, and invite others’ voices. Respect theological differences: the river of Christian orthodoxy is wide, and while the streams of that river are distinct, they are not inherently better or worse. Even if you can’t respect the belief, treat the person with respect. iiii. We value both thoughts and feelings as valuable pieces of information that inform one another, and inform our learning and discerning together. iv. Be in the here and now (not mentally somewhere or some time else), with the people who are sharing their time and stories with you. Eliminate any distractions possible.
Fair Use Policy
All program content, recordings, and materials are the intellectual property of The Seattle School and may not be presented, distributed, or replicated. The Seattle School retains the copyright for all recorded content. Some print materials (PDFs, worksheets, journal prompts, etc.) will be licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike. Those materials will be available for download on our website, and may be used as long as the following conditions are met: (1) attribute to the Center for Transforming Engagement even if remixed/modified; (2) do not use for commercial (paid) purposes; and (3) anything you make that remixes or builds upon this material, you must also distribute under Creative Commons. More information on this license is available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Agree and Close
(scroll down and click agree) Full attendance and participation during all sessions are expected to complete the program. Please consider the schedule closely to ensure you will be able to participate in the virtual meetings, and block off your calendar to ensure your attendance. Should you have an emergency (illness, situations out of your control) that will impact your participation please email transforming@theseattleschool.edu Time commitment: Two hours one day per month for 8 months, dates to be determined by majority of registrants' availability and adjusted as needed during the first group meeting. Your feedback is immensely valuable! As an essential component of your participation in this program, we ask that you provide us with your honest, candid, and timely feedback in program surveys and conversations, and consider providing reviews or testimonials of the program for promotional use. 2. Code of Conduct The Center for Transforming Engagement strives for intentionality in the ways we relate to one another - how we as a team relate to each other, how we relate to participants, and how we hope participants will relate to us and one another. To that end, we hold cultural norms about the ways we interact with one another. Your participation in this program is contingent on your agreement to abide by these cultural norms. Confidentiality. For growth to happen, we all need to be able to share about the deeper challenges we face. To provide that atmosphere of openness and support, you commit to not sharing personal information that is shared in program meetings. Curiosity. In our interactions with each other and our communities, we practice the humility of not-knowing that is required to listen and discover. Respect differences. Be aware of different cultural and characterological ways of communicating, and invite others’ voices. Respect theological differences: the river of Christian orthodoxy is wide, and while the streams of that river are distinct, they are not inherently better or worse. Even if you can’t respect the belief, treat the person with respect. You are invited to be a whole person, with both thoughts and feelings. We value both thoughts and feelings as valuable pieces of information that inform one another, and inform our learning and discerning together. Presence. Be in the here and now (not mentally somewhere or some time else), with the people who are sharing their time and stories with you. Eliminate any distractions possible. 3. Fair Use Policy All program content, recordings, and materials are the intellectual property of The Seattle School and may not be presented, distributed, or replicated. The Seattle School retains the copyright for all recorded content. Some print materials (PDFs, worksheets, journal prompts, etc.) will be licensed under Creative Commons: Attribution NonCommercial ShareAlike. Those materials will be available for download on our website, and may be used as long as the following conditions are met: (1) attribute to the Center for Transforming Engagement even if remixed/modified; (2) do not use for commercial (paid) purposes; and (3) anything you make that remixes or builds upon this material, you must also distribute under Creative Commons. More information on this license is available at creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/
Agree and Close