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Having a sense of hope is critical for everyone. In the challenging times we now live in, it can be hard to have hope. We are pleased to be offering our Hope Trilogy, or three online seminars that focus on hope, during the first quarter of 2009. These seminars, including: Hope as a Dynamic for Healing, Hope and Wholeness, and Finding Hope When There Is No Cure, are among the most popular seminars offered by the Oates Institute.

The first session of the Oates Institute's online seminars for 2009 starts on Monday, January 5. We typically offer 40-45 online seminars each year in three-week sessions. During 2009, seminars will be offered during January, February, March, May, July, September, and October. To participate in a January seminar register by January 1.

The purpose of these online seminars is to bring together small groups of professional practitioners for continuing education opportunities that include learning from one another through a process of reflective dialogue around the identified presentations, papers, and articles. These seminars use a "Connected Learning" approach that uses cyberspace to connect learners with themselves, other learners, teachers, mentors, facilitators, and learning resources while transcending the need for participants to share the same time or space.

Most of our seminars last for three weeks, offer 12 contact hours of continuing education credit, and use email discussion to provide maximum schedule flexibility for those participating.

The Oates Journal has published a Special Issue addressing professional ethics. The issue, Holding the Boundaries: Professional Ethics in Practice features five articles:

• "Ethical Character" by M. Wayne Clark, D.Min, the Director of Clinical Training, Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary Counseling Training Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

• "Ethics and Intimacy in the Care Professions" by Karrie Ann Oertli, M.Div., BCC, and Leah S. Taylor, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT. Chaplain Oertli is the Director of Pastoral Services and the Administrative Director of the James L. Hall Center for Mind, Body, Spirit at INTEGRIS Baptist Medical Center. Dr. Taylor is a Behavioral Health Specialist with the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which governs Medicaid in Oklahoma, in charge of Stakeholder Relations and Provider Training.

• "Wandering Along the Boundary Lines" by William R. Clough, D.Min., Program Chair, Pastoral Community Counseling Program, Argosy University in Sarasota, Florida.

• "The Healing of an Afterpastor" by Janet L. Forbes, D.Min., the Senior Pastor of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in Highlands Ranch, a planned community south of Denver, Colorado.

• "Sheep in the Midst of Wolves" by Marie M. Fortune, D.Min., the Founder and Senior Analyst at the Faith Trust Institute (www.faithtrustinstitute.org) in Seattle, Washington. She is ordained in the United Church of Christ. She is an author, teacher, pastor, practicing ethicist and theologian. Her numerous books include Is Nothing Sacred? from Pilgrim Press (Cleveland).

The preliminary schedule for the 2009 Online Seminars is now available in the Online Learning Center. So far we have 38 seminars on the schedule for 2009 and we anticipate adding another 6-10 seminars during the year.

An Online Seminar typically lasts three weeks and makes it possible for participants to earn 12 contact hours of approved continuing education credit. In our seminars we use a Connected Learning collaborative approach that utilizes cyberspace to connect learners with colleagues, facilitators, and curriculum resources. This methodology transcends the need for participants to share the same time or space. Each week seminar participants read and respond to one or more featured presentations. By using a closed Email Discussion Group participants are able to to take part in these Online Seminars from any location, according to their individual schedules.

See the 2009 Preliminary Seminar Schedule