Office of Wesleyan Engagement | Duke Divinity School

The Office of Wesleyan Engagement facilitates relationships with United Methodist and other Pan Methodist constituencies by hosting events and providing resources to support clergy and lay leadership. The primary events supported by the OWE include:

Convocation & Pastors’ School is an annual multi-day conference held on the campus of Duke University offering though-provoking lectures, dynamic worship, and engaging seminars for Christian leaders, pastors, and other ministry professionals.

Convocation on the Rural Church is an opportunity for pastors serving rural churches in the North Carolina and Western North Carolina Conferences of the United Methodist Church to join with Duke Divinity School and The Duke Endowment to discuss issues that are important in transforming rural churches and communities and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Study Leave for Ministry Professionals helps to promote the retention of clergy by combating burnout and providing a dedicated space for individuals to focus on a given topic or simply to rest from their labors.

The Duke Divinity School Preaching Initiative supports clergy by providing perpetual learning opportunities that allow clergy to enhance and build upon the skills needed for impactful and meaningful ministry by helping good preachers to become great.

The Course of Study program provides theological education that grounds local pastors with core theological foundations integrated with practical pastoral leadership skills and practices.

Engagement with external United Methodist partners: The office maintains and builds relationships with UM Annual Conferences, bishops, and cabinets through preparing and distributing the Dean’s Annual Report to UM Annual Conferences, providing a Duke Divinity School presence at UM Annual Conferences each year, hosting UM Annual Conference representatives on campus to meet with students, supporting the NCC and WNCC cabinets with structured programming, and offering hospitality and meeting space to UMC groups.

2024 General Conference: The OWE will facilitate Duke Divinity School’s presence at the 2024 General Conference in Charlotte including a breakfast for DDS alumni and friends cohosted with TDE. The OWE is also supporting a Spring 24 course focused on the General Conference co-led by Bishop Ken Carter, Dr. Sangwoo Kim, and Dr. Laceye Warner featuring DDS alumni in general church leadership as guest speakers.

The Office of Wesleyan Engagement is funded with generous support from The Duke Endowment and The Parish Ministry Fund .