The Coach Team is made up of volunteers from the Presbytery of Philadelphia to:
- assist congregations and pastoral leaders in discernment of God’s future for the congregations
- Help the congregations and pastoral leaders take steps for the actual discernment process
- Work with the congregation to develop a plan for moving forward
- Check in and assist as necessary in the process
- Hold the congregation accountable for agreed upon steps
- Celebrate the ‘steps along the way’ with the congregation
Coaching
Coaching is a relationship where the coach team and the congregation create a personalized, reflection-based, results oriented learning process for growth and change. It is a way for the congregation and leadership to access and develop their best God-given self for ministry.
What Coaching Does:
- Provides space to reflect and discern the movement of the Spirit
- Recognizes and calls out gifts
- Creates a learning environment
- Emphasizes measurable action and responsibility
- Establishes a framework to keep track of essentials
- Encourages congregations through tough places on the journey
- Reclaims purpose as central to action – ties purpose and action together
Why might your congregation need coaching?
- A coach team will talk with the congregation and pastoral leadership through a time of discovering God’s future for the congregation.
- The coach team will ask questions, nudge gently, encourage, cheerlead, and hold the group accountable.
- The coach team will help the congregation discern the right process for them. Help them get started, and encourage the group forward.
- The coach team is there for the times when the congregation gets ‘stuck’ and to help them when necessary to move forward.
Finding a Coach Team for Your Congregation
If your congregation is seeking a new direction, wondering where God is calling you now, or feeling overwhelmed, your church might need a Congregational Coach Team to help.
The process for finding a coach team for your congregation is very easy.
- Share this information with your session or group
- Contact Jeanne Radak, Coach Team Coordinator, for more information or to sign up for a Congregational Coach Team
- A team will be assigned to your congregation
- The assigned team will meet with your session or pastor or session representative to develop a covenant and a plan for next steps.
Who do we contact?
For more information, visit www.presbyphl.org or contact Jeanne Radak, The presbytery of Philadelphia, 915 Gowen Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19150, jradak@presbyphl.org, 215-424-1400 ext 313. There are no fees for the Coach Team. We do ask the congregation offer to cover their mileage and other expenses.

