WELCOME TO COMPANIONS IN MINISTRY!

Companions in Ministry (CiM) is an ecumenical support program that brings together Christian pastors and ordained deacons from diverse denominations, ethnicities, cultures, ages, and socio-economic backgrounds. The program provides opportunities for pastors to build peer relationships and accompany one another in their ministries. CiM aims to improve their sense of well-being spiritually and professionally, and to foster a supportive, ecumenical ministry network in southeast Wisconsin. 

CiM is an outreach of Marquette University’s commitment to community engagement for social responsibility, building a more inclusive culture, and the formation of minds and hearts.  Participants learn elements of Ignatian Spirituality and Shared Inquiry - a discussion methodology from the Great Books Foundation. The program is named “Companions” in keeping with a centuries-long Jesuit/Ignatian tradition, and the model of accompaniment and seeking God in all things

CiM convenes pastors for prayer and fellowship, and encourages the formation of small discussion groups. Fifty-six pastors have participated in CiM since 2019. Their discussions often focus on well-being, resiliency, and related themes. Pastors also benefit from retreats and large group clergy gatherings. The next group offering for clergy will be held on May 1, 2023. It will focus on Restorative Justice and Conflict Resolution, featuring the Hon. Janine P. Geske, former Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice and present director of the Marquette University Law School Andrew Center for Restorative Justice. The half-day program is hosted by CiM and Pastoral Leadership in a Cultural Context, another Lilly Endowment, Inc. program at Marquette. For details about the May 1st event, contact margaret.flahive@marquette.edu.