2026 Clergy Trainings & Retreat
This year, KOCUCC will offer two different trainings to help meet clergy educational requirements and a standalone retreat. More information about these trainings and the retreat is provided below. Each event has a $25 registration fee. To register, please click here.
Antibias Training - Online - Thursday, June 4 - Friday, June 5, 2026
This training will be led by Julia Gaughan and meets the COM requirements for antibias training for KOCUCC. The training will take place over zoom, 9 am - 12 pm each day, with a mid-morning break. Registration for this training closes on May 29th.
Clergy Retreat - Thursday, September 10 - Saturday, September 12, 2026
This retreat will take place at St. Francis of the Woods in northern Oklahoma. We will arrive on Thursday afternoon and depart midday on Saturday. The property includes two labyrinths, trails, and spaces for gathering and solitude. Specific programming is still in the planning stages. Clergy are encouraged to stay both nights, but even one night can be restorative. Registration closes for the Retreat on August 28th.
Boundary Training - Thursday, November 5 - Friday, November 6, 2026
Rev. Tara Barber from the National Setting's MESA team will provide a program called, "Health in Ministry: Boundaries and Ethics and Support" for clergy in advance of this year's Annual Meeting. We will begin Thursday afternoon and end by noon on Friday. Dinner and hotel are included. In describing this training, Rev. Barber writes, "What do you need to meet these days with health and integrity? Beyond a list of dos and don’ts, boundaries help us frame what is ours and what is not. They protect our relationships and allow us to name our limits. In the context of ministry, ethics and boundaries help us live in covenant, faithful to our callings and accountable. Let’s be in conversation with the Ministerial Code, with our contexts, and with each other." Registration for this training closes on October 16th.
Other Training Opportunities
If you need antibias and/or boundary training and these events do not work with your schedule, please communicate with COM-A. The Ministerial Excellence, Support, and Authorization (MESA) team at the National Ministries of the United Church of Christ regularly offers a variety of training opportunities, as do organizations such as Convergence. Clergy need to seek approval from COM-A for antibias and boundary trainings not conducted by KO, though. COM-A meets regularly on the fourth Monday of each month. To submit a request for training approval, please email COM-A Chair, Dewan Keesee to have that request put on the next meeting’s agenda.