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Shared Ministry Program

The Shared Ministry Program encourages Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations to covenant to create sustainable pastoral positions. New for 2025, the program provides dues subsidies for benefits, effective Jan. 1, 2025.

The Shared Ministry Program is a new dues incentive program through the Board of Pensions for pastors when two or more congregations desire to work together to call full-time pastoral leadership. A departure from the traditional ministry model, it helps ministry to flourish and sustains it for the long term.

The program is designed and supported through covenant agreements between the congregations. These covenants are important so that congregations fully discuss all aspects of coming together for a shared ministry. With guidance from the presbytery, leaders from each congregation interested in pursuing a shared ministry should have honest and open conversations about the relationship.

Please note this is not a yoked situation. Each congregation maintains its own identity, building, budget, and session. Those in split services are not eligible for the Shared Ministry Program. If you are interested, you must first dissolve that relationship and pursue a shared ministry based on the information below.

If you are interested in the Shared Ministry Program, here are some questions to consider and a sample model for engagement.

What it provides

The program offers benefits support when two or more congregations partner to provide employment to one or more ministers and sign a covenant with each other:

  • The Board provides a dues subsidy of 50% of the cost of pastoral benefits up to a maximum of $10,000 per year, per call, for three years.
  • Ministers are enrolled in the Congregational Pastors Package, the Covenant Package, or Transitional Pastor's Participation, depending on position, benefits needs, and eligibility criteria, and receive access to assistance and education programs through the Board of Pensions. These programs support wholeness and help ministers bring their best gifts to ministry.

Subsidies are limited to benefit dues and may not be used to pay salary or housing. For ministers enrolled in the Covenant Package, a provision must be made for medical coverage, whether it is provided through a spouse’s employment, a state exchange, or another government program such as TRICARE.

Who’s eligible

The Shared Ministry Program is designed for:

  • ministers of Word and Sacrament who serve in congregational settings
  • PC(USA) congregations with vitality and a vision for the future

Pastoral positions created by shared ministries:

  • may be installed or non-installed
  • ideally will be full time in nature
  • may be configured between small congregations or, in some cases, between a larger congregation sharing, for example, an associate pastor with a nearby small congregation

Part-time calls may be considered for those working at least 20 hours per week, which is required for benefits enrollment. 


How to get started

If you are interested in participating in the Shared Ministry Program and know of or are looking for a partnering congregation, contact your presbytery. The Church Consultant for your region can assist with program information and the covenant and registration process.

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