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Certificate
Enhance your ability to serve older adults in your congregation or faith-based organization. This series of four courses addressing the process of aging and implications for leading programs designed for older adults will enable you to support their ongoing spiritual formation more effectively.
The OAM courses are open to participants from any denomination or faith tradition. There are four core courses: The Process of Aging and Implications for Ministry, Theological Reflection in Older Adulthood, Spiritual Formation and Older Adults and Teaching for Transformation. Two courses are generally offered online each year at The Center for Lifelong Learning. While participants may begin with any of the four courses, we recommend beginning with The Process of Aging and Implications for Ministry when possible. Courses may be taken in any order.
A Certificate in Older Adult Ministry I will be awarded to all participants who successfully complete the four core courses, including the final assignment that is part of each course’s design. The OAM I course of study may be completed in 12-24 months.
For more information about each course or to register, click on the name of the course, below.
OAM Courses 2026 –2027.
Spiritual Formation and Older Adults ONLINE. September 21- November 1, 2026 with Mary Anona Stoops. Full details by clicking the link to the registration page.
Teaching for Transformation ONLINE. February 1-19, 2027 with Joyce MacKichan Walker. This course meets twice a week. Full details by clicking the link to the registration page.
The program registration fee for each course is $265; register early for the reduced fee of $235.
The OAM Capstone Project –Level II Certificate
For those wishing to go deeper, completion of a Capstone Project will earn those participants a Certificate in Older Adult Ministry II.A Capstone is an independent study project, generally based in a specific ministry context, and is completed after the four core courses.The Capstone entails working with a local project supervisor and the OAM project advisor to design a project addressing an aspect of older adult ministry within a particular context or community and which demonstrate application of the theory and practices learned during the four courses in the OAM Certificate program. Participants may register for the Capstone when they have completed all four OAM courses and had a preliminary discussion with course leaders and the OAM Program Coordinator. The Capstone is $350, with part of the fee going to your project supervisor.
Contacts:
lifelonglearning@ctsnet.edu for general questions
Sarah Erickson, Older Adult Ministry Certificate Advisor, for Level II project planning and questions
©2026 Columbia Theological Seminary
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