"How to Build" a Ministry Portfolio

The Ministry Portfolio is as unique as there are individuals who endeavour to participate in the process of learning in this way.  However, it is often helpful to provide guidelines and suggestions so that the task does not feel overwhelming by simply having a blank page.  If you conceive of the Ministry Portfolio as a binder then you could imagine the following as a way to organize the contents.

Template File Trees:

• Template Folder/File Tree (pdf)   OR
  
• Download zip Template Folder/File Tree
  Zip files may or may not download easily to your computer. If the file does not work, you can access the same information in the pdf file above.

Section 1 – Outward domain (items that might be shared with others)

Here is where you might wish to collect items that you would use to present yourself to others.  The individual tabs in this section would likely include:

1. Ministerial Leadership Inventory
2. Cover Letters
3. Resumes
4. Official Documents like credentials and transcripts
5. List of Continuing Education
6. Letters of Reference
7. Augmentation Tab: Items you have curated from the rest of your Ministry Portfolio that you are prepared to share.  Pages here might be:
   1. Video or audio files of work you have done
   2. Reflections on the Competency Examen that shares your progress
   3. Photos of significant events
   4. Select listing of Books read and continuing education experiences

Section 2 – Inward domain (items that will normally remain private)

As the individual reflects on their ministry journey (including items listed in Section 1 above), they are encouraged to generate or collect a variety of reflective materials such as journal entries, free-form writing, sketches, photographs, and unanswered questions. They are also encouraged to complete the Competency Examen on at least on an annual basis (see Competency Examen: Listening for God’s Presence on the Journey of Ministry) – whatever results from completing the Competency Examen also becomes part of this Section 2. As well, the Guide for Continuing Education (distributed annually) will hold a number of reflective questions and prompts, and the individual is encouraged to use Section 2 as a space for responding to these questions and prompts.  Additional components of Section 2 could include: 

1. Ministry Moments
   1. Keeping a list of individuals you have walk with towards baptism.
   2. Keeping a list or photographs of marriages you have officiated at.
2. Reflective items
   1. Lists of books read and notes or takeaways important for you
   2. Theological reflections/questions
      1. How is God working through my strengths or my weaknesses?
   3. Pictures of threshold moments
   4. Niggling questions – for St Peter or along the way.
3. Feedback items
   1. Personality Inventories
   2. From peers, congregants, teachers, MCEC leadership, mentor/mentee
   3. Other evidence of effectiveness
   4. Solicited and unsolicited comments
4. Sample ministry items
   1. Sermons
   2. Written prayers
   3. Sunday School outlines
5. Visionary items
   1. Goals (short, long-term)
   2. Learning plan
   3. Results from Competency Examen exercises
   4. Personal mission statement

Overall, the Ministry Portfolio encourages the individual to reflect positively on how they are moving forward as a person gifted and developing as a ministry person. Either in a separate section of the binder/portfolio or interspersed throughout, the individual is encouraged to adopt the posture of reflection by engaging these kinds of questions and reflective prompts:

1. Examples of questions:
   1. How can I connect or compare these experiences?
   2. Why did I learn so well in that case?
   3. Who am I becoming as an agent of God’s grace?
   4. What is God trying to show me, in light of…?
   5. Why do I always struggle so much with…?
   6. Where are the gaps in my education?
   7. How does this issue/experience look from a different perspective?

2. Examples of reflective prompts:
   1. That was challenging! I wonder why…
   2. I’ve encountered that a lot. Let me see if there’s a pattern here…
   3. I want to learn more about…
   4. My peers help me with this…
   5. That makes me feel…
   6. I wonder…
   7. Here’s what God’s grace looks like as I think about myself as a pastor…