About Us
While our history is relatively short, our heritage is deep.
Western Seminary conducted its own field interviews with more than 150 pastors and discovered ten recurring needs among pastors in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest: self-awareness, contextual awareness, community understanding, cultural intelligence, community service, family flourishing, understanding transitions, adeptness at creating and deploying teams, life-long pastoral development, and mentoring/coaching.
The Center for Pastoral Flourishing (CPF) was launched in January 2019, just a few months after being awarded a start-up grant. The first year was a “gathering” of resources, finding venues, and recruiting facilitators and participants. By fall 2019, we launched our first pastoral cohort retreats and hosted an equipping event with Ken Sande on relational wisdom.
CPF has assisted over 200 pastors in honing their awareness and practices in personal and congregational health between in-person and virtual connections.
Our Story
The Director’s Perspective
“I had two friends call with the same advice. “Hey Bill, Western is launching a Center for Pastoral Flourishing; I think you should consider applying to direct it.” It sounded exciting; I had spent a good deal of time studying and training in pastoral leadership. But as I talked with pastors about joining a cohort, I noticed a thought pattern emerging. “If I sign up for a cohort on pastoral flourishing, am I saying I need help or am not flourishing?” I realized I didn’t want the admission price to a cohort being a pathology.
As I was thinking more about the dilemma, I watched qualifying events for the upcoming Olympics. I saw world athletes with multiple coaches: strength training, flexibility, endurance, skill, and technique … it seemed like the more elite the athlete, the more coaching they received.
The thought crossed my mind, how do I change the perception of CPF? How can I get pastors to see this more like a health club – that addresses weaknesses and enhances strengths rather than a hospital trying to restore health?
So, when someone asks me why CPF exists, I am eager to say we exist to help pastors do their best. For some, that is rehabbing from an injury; or learning a new way of performing a familiar task; for others, it is learning the joy of attaching to co-workers in life-giving ways.”
Bill Clem, Director
Our Mission
The Center for Pastoral Flourishing (CPF) is a catalyst for pastors and ministry leaders to thrive by offering formational experiences, transforming relationships, and partnerships to advance God’s good news kingdom.
Our Vision
Our vision is to nurture and support the long-term wellbeing of pastors, inviting them to connect authentically with God, self, and peers. CPF invites pastors to thrive holistically and lead intentionally with strength, wisdom, and joy for the entirety of their ministry. We envision providing a life-giving resource that promotes pastoral flourishing and congregational vitality.
Meet the Team
Bill Clem, MA
Director
Bill Clem is a Northwest Native, having grown up in Portland and predominately serving in ministries in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. When Bill is not at work, you usually find him unwinding with his wife Sue, riding a motorcycle, or at a family event (Bill has four adult children and twelve grandchildren).
Bill is the Director of the Center for Pastoral Flourishing. What motivates him about this ministry opportunity is his love to encourage Pastors and ministry leaders to work with ministry and church teams in developing strategies for growth and care. His passion is equipping (helping pastors discover their servant-leadership voice and discernment skills.) Bill brings a history of experiences, from youth and family pastor to church planter. From Bible college and Seminary professor to North American director of an international training organization.
Bill has served in local church assignments as; a campus pastor at two different churches, a church planter, a spiritual formation pastor, and a youth and family pastor. He also teaches classes at Western Seminary in Spiritual practices and Disciple-making. Bill graduated from Moody Bible Institute, Warner Pacific University, and Western Seminary.
Trish Bussey Jeter, MBA, MA
Associate Director
Trish Bussey Jeter is passionate about teaching, coaching, and supporting women pastors and leaders in ministry, encouraging them to flourish and live abundant joyful lives in Him!
She is the Associate Director of the Center for Pastoral Flourishing at Western Seminary. In this role, Trish is excited about equipping and encouraging pastors and leaders, and helping them to thrive. She also enjoys teaching as a member of Western Seminary’s Women’s Transformational Leadership team, where she teaches how to develop ministries for the church.
Prior to this role Trish held various pastoral roles in a local church as a pastor of spiritual transformation, and a community pastor. In her most recent role, she led spiritual growth initiatives, life groups and ministry to women. Prior to ministry, Trish held leadership roles with several global Fortune 500 corporations and was a senior executive at a global nonprofit organization.
Trish is a graduate of Western Seminary with a Master of Arts in Ministry and Leadership and holds an MBA from Baruch College in NYC. She is also a leadership coach with her own coaching practice. She is happily married to her husband Pete, and they love traveling together, admiring the beauty of God’s creation.