SPM Process Checklist 

Pre-Semester 
  • Set up SPM Moodle page for the semester with all forms and deadlines established 
  • Contact all registered SPM students with info packet, questions, and initial deadlines 
  • Optional: Set up pre-semester Zoom call Q&A 
Beginning of Semester 

  • Collect the following: 

    • Site approval 
    • Site supervisor information 
    • Lay Committee information 
    • Learning Covenant 
  • Reach out to site supervisors thanking them for their service and inviting questions 
  • Confirm receipt of each form with student via Moodle 

Midterm 

  • Collect midterm reflections from students, send brief comments after received  

End of Semester 
  • Collect end of semester evaluations from student, supervisor, and lay committee 
  • Email student, supervisor, and lay committee with completion comments 
  • Email judicatory if provided an official completion note with evaluations 
  • Enter "pass" grades for each student 

Beginning of SPM Communication:  

Student Initial Communication 

 Welcome to Supervised Practice of Ministry (SPM) for the fall 2022 term! 

While it may seem early to start considering your fall coursework in mid-July, I have already heard from some of you who have been busy making plans and working with potential sites to design an internship experience for the fall. I want to make sure all fall SPM students have access to the tools and guidelines necessary to build a successful internship site and team to help you learn and grow in your ministry skills.  

You all have been given access to the SPM 671 60 course Moodle page. This is the course page that will be used for your internship experience this fall regardless of which section you registered for (SPM 671 01/671 60/672 01/672 60).  

On this page, you'll find: 

  • the SPM guidelines for 2022-2023 to help you set up your site to meet the requirements for credit 
  • all pre-SPM, midterm, and final SPM forms required, samples for preview, and instructions for how to submit each 
  • deadlines for all forms and suggestions for when to set up the minimum suggested meetings 
  • uploaded copies of all completed SPM forms as you go for your records 

Please note that your site approval and all pre-SPM forms are due no later than Monday, 9/12. Be sure to give yourself ample time to receive approval for your site, supervisor, and lay committee, as well as thoughtfully and thoroughly complete the SPM learning covenant prior to the deadline. I will send out a reminder of pre-SPM forms due after August intensive term ends. If you are remaining in a site that you have already interned in a previous term, please let me know with your site approval request to try to minimize the required paperwork for the internship team.  

After reviewing the information found on our course Moodle page, please let me know what questions come up for you or your internship team. I'm always happy to set up Zoom calls with you and your site supervisor or lay committee if there are questions that are better answered in conversation. And one final note of encouragement - the internship process is all far more flexible than it seems on paper. Communicating your needs with me early and often allows us to work together to ensure a smooth and successful SPM experience for you and your site. You have a lot of learning and growing to do this semester, and the paperwork should not be the most challenging part of the experience! :) 

Grace and peace to each of you, 
Dr. Ward 

-----

Supervisor Initial Communication 

Subject: UDTS Supervised Ministry – Welcome! 

Thank you so much for agreeing to share your time, wisdom, and counsel with STUDENT as they begin their internship at SITE. As you know, while so many courses in seminary stress ideas and information, field education offers new layers of experience and formation. This can be a wonderful and holy season of pastoral growth, and you are a very important part of the field education team.  

Soon you will receive a handbook for Supervisor/Mentors, “Empower,” if you haven't received it in a previous academic term. While this reading is not required, the chapters are short and easily digested, and I hope you will find some wisdom there. You may read more about our program purposes, goals, and guidelines in the attached SPM Guide.  I also encourage you to share and model your own prayer and devotional practices; these are best learned from mentors! 

If you have any questions or concerns at any point during this this academic term, please don't hesitate to contact me.  

Grace and peace, 
Dr. Ward 

----- 

Lay Committee Initial Communication 

Thank you so much for agreeing to share your time, wisdom, and counsel with STUDENT as their selected lay committee at SITE. While so many courses in seminary stress ideas and information, field education offers new layers of experience and formation.  

Midterm of SPM Feedback: 

Student Reminders 

I hope you are all settling into your summer internship experiences and approaching your work with an openness to learning and growth as you do your good ministry in the world! I wanted to send a quick reminder of an upcoming deadline for your SPM paperwork. SPM Midterm Reflections are due Monday, June 13. I recognize that for some of you, this is an unreasonable deadline as you are just getting started in your work. I am happy to be flexible with this deadline, especially if you plan to request an extension to complete your SPM experience after July 15, as many of you will mostly likely need to do. Please communicate with me between now and Monday, June 13 to indicate a reasonable midterm reflection date as well as an anticipated end of term date. This will greatly reduce the number of reminders you receive between now and the end of the term.  

Please also note the following reminders:  

  • Your Midterm Reflection will require a supervisor signature as part of the submission process. Please follow the instructions provided in our course Moodle page carefully to ensure proper submission.  
  • I have attached copies of all received forms on Moodle with any comments. Please check our Moodle page to verify forms have been received by me. I am missing several learning covenants at this time, most likely because they are waiting on a signature of either your supervisor or lay committee chair person. I do not receive the forms until they have been signed by all requested parties. Please let supervisors and lay committees know that they will be receiving an email from "DocuSign" for their review and signature.  
  • Now is a good time to set up a meeting with your lay committee, if you have not done so already. It is recommended that you meet with your lay committee at least twice this term as well as ensure that your lay committee has opportunities to observe your work, as they will be evaluating your progress at the end of the term. 
  • As you look toward the end of summer, please note that the summer term ends on Friday, July 15. If you do not anticipate having final forms submitted and signed by all parties before Wednesday, July 20, you will need to complete an extension request form. Students are welcome to extend their summer internship experience as long as they need to ensure a quality learning experience and a complete internship experience for your site. I welcome extension requests through as late as Friday, August 5 if necessary. 

Please let me know if you have questions or concerns about any part of the SPM process.  

Thank you! 
Dr. Ward 

----- 

End of SPM Feedback/Confirmation: 

Student Final Feedback 

Subject: SPM Completion Spring 2022 

It was a joy to read all of your final SPM reflections and evaluations. I have attached them here for your files and entered your grade of PASS. 

Thank you for taking the time to reflect deeply and honestly about your experience this term.  

[Growth note. Concern note, if any. Future note. Connection to supervisor and lay committee evals.] 

Please stay in touch and let me know where God takes you next.  

Grace and peace, 

Dr. Ward 

[Attachments: Final Log, Self-Evaluation, Supervisor Evaluation, Lay Committee Evaluation] 

----- 

SPM Final Completion Notice [Fall22] 

This email is to notify you that I have received all required documentation for your Fall 2022 SPM. I have entered your final grade of Pass.  

Please confirm your judicatory official's contact information so that I may send them copies of your final supervisor and lay committee evaluations as proof of completion.  

[Judicatory's email, if provided in final log] 

I hope you found this semester's supervised ministry experience to be a time of growth and discernment. I'm excited to see what God has in store for you next.  

Sincerely,  
Dr. Ward 

----- 

Supervisor Final Communication 

Subject: Student Name: SPM Completion Spring 2022 

Thank you so much for your great gifts of time and caring wisdom with STUDENT this spring. I have read your final supervisor evaluation, and I appreciate all of your comments. I hope this was a season of growth and reflection for both STUDENT and yourself as their mentor and supervisor.   

I have attached copies of the completed evaluations for your records.  

I welcome any additional questions or concerns. Thank you so much! 

Grace and peace, 

Dr. Ward 

[Attachments: Supervisor Evaluation, Lay Committee Evaluation] 

----- 

Lay Committee Final Communication 

Subject: Student Name: SPM Completion Spring 2022 

Please pass my thanks along to STUDENT’s entire lay committee for their support, encouragement, and caring feedback this semester. The committee has been an essential pillar of the field education program here at UDTS.   

I have attached a copy of the Lay Committee’s final evaluation for your records.   

Please be in touch with any questions or concerns. 

Grace and peace,  

Dr. Ward 

[Attachments: Lay Committee Evaluation] 

----- 

Presbytery Notification 

Subject: Student Name: SPM Completion Spring 2022 

It is with pleasure that I write to share with you that STUDENT, who is under the guidance of your committee, has satisfactorily completed the 2022 spring term of supervised practice of ministry (SPM). Attached are the evaluations, which have been released for your review.  

Thank you for your ongoing support, counsel, and assistance for STUDENT during this important time of formation. Please be in touch if you have any questions.  

Grace and peace, 

Dr. Ward 

[Attachments: Supervisor Evaluation, Lay Committee Evaluation] 


Last modified: Monday, April 3, 2023, 2:36 PM