Choices for Abundant Living

An Ethics Training Course for Clergy 

Authors and Trainers

Rev. Katherine Bell & Rev. Dr.  Beth Rupe 

Katherine and Beth believe that loving God with heart, soul, and mind and loving neighbor as self are the core principles that undergird all clergy ethics. They understand that God desires that each individual flourish and experience abundant living. Therefore, ethical living seeks to answer questions in a changing and complex world about how we can love God, love neighbor as self, and create space and opportunities for all individuals to flourish in all areas of life. Further, Katherine and Beth believe that commissioned and ordained ministers are called by the community from the community to serve and nurture the community as they serve in a leadership capacity. Ministry is a vocation and professional ethical norms of other caring professions are the floor upon which clergy ethics are constructed. 

Undergirded by these believes, Choices for Abundant Living seeks to provide time and space for commissioned and ordained clergy to consider and discuss what it means for individuals:

1. To flourish as they establish healthy relationships built on empathy, kindness, mutual respect, and trust;
2. To engage in open communications that provides for problem solving, conflict resolution, opportunities to give and receive forgiveness;
3. To develop an understanding and respect of values, believes, and attitudes of others, even if they differ; 
4. To acknowledge the independence and connectedness of each person. 

Small group activities and discussion of case studies will allow commissioned and ordained clergy to reflect upon their values, their call to live within the standards set by My Code of Ethics of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the importance of boundaries as they seek to make ethical decisions and act in ways guided by the principles of non-maleficence, veracity, and confidentiality. 

Structure of Workshop

Each participant will receive a manual as a resource for the training and for ongoing reflection on making ethical choices. Materials will be presented using multi-modal techniques designed to engage a variety of learning styles. These methods will include but not be limited to: 

• Didactic presentation 
• Small group discussion 
• Self-reflection action 
• Audio and Visual media clips. 

THE TRAINERS 

REV. KATHERINE BALL   

• Board -certified Chaplain serving Northwestern Medicine DuPage Hospital
• BA from Eureka College & MDiv from Lexington Theological Seminary
• Member CCIW Committee on Ministry 
• Facilitator for training for Healthy Boundaries 101 & 102

Katherine completed a CPE residency at Advocate BroMenn Medical Center.  She has served as chaplain in hospitals and hospice settings including Methodist Hospital, Peoria and CNS hospice in Northwestern Suburban Chicago where she led grief support groups as a part of the bereavement support program. She has also been an interim pastor and led congregations in Kentucky and Illinois. Over the years Katherine has served on the Committee on Ministerial Ethics and Response Teams and as a Regional Elder for

CCIW.

Katherine lives in Carol Stream, IL with her spouse of 25 years, Carson. She can regularly be found at the local movie theater and enjoys visits to museums near and far.

REV. DR. BETH RUPE

• Pastor and Coordinator Disciples Women Ministries in Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin
• BS & MS from Western IL University, MDiv &  DMin from Lexington Theological Seminary
• Former Licensed Professional Counselor and EAP Counselor 
• Ethics Investigator CCIW Commission on Ministry 
• Post-Graduate Training in Family Systems, Relapse Prevention, Boundary Training and Healthy Congregations 

Beth has served as the editor of Just Women since 2023 and has contributed four Bible study lessons focusing on themes of lament, self-care, love of neighbor as self, and the Holy Spirit as disrupter. Beth has served on a variety of CCIW committees including serving as an investigator on the Committee on Ministerial Ethics and Response Teams, being on the Pro-Reconciliation Anti-Racism Team, and serving as a Regional Elder. She has led workshops and retreats focusing on introduction to the spiritual disciplines, lament as prayer practice, journaling, women in the Bible, self-care, stress management, and meditation. She was the keynote speaker at the 2022 Kansas Region Disciples Women Retreat and the 2023 Michigan Region Disciples Women Retreat.

Beth and her husband Mark of 47 years live in Bloomington, IL. They have two children, two granddaughters, and a six-year-old labradoodle. Her hobbies include reading, quilting and listening to music. She also enjoys cooking, especially for her family and friends. She finds strength in contemplative prayer and feels called by God to work for justice. Anywhere Disney is one of her happy places.

Tentative Schedule:

• 9:00 AM – 9:45 Gathering, Introductions, Icebreakers
•  9:45 – 10:30 Introduction to the Abundant Life, Claiming the Abundant Life
•  10:30 – 10:45 Break
•  10:45 – 12:00 PM Naming our Values
•  12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
•  1:00 – 2:30 Boundaries, Profession/ Vocation, Power and Authority
•  2:30 – 2:45 Break
•  2:45 – 3:15 Special Topics 
•  3:15 – 3:30 Closing Ritual including communion.