What is the LOVEboldly Travelers Program?
The LOVEboldly Travelers Program is a 10-month, cohort learning experience for 10 ministry leaders including pastors, ministry professionals, and those preparing for calls in ministry, particularly people serving in or called to serve in congregational ministries.
Who is LOVEboldly looking for in potential travelers?
The LOVEboldly Travelers Program is designed to facilitate learning and growth among ministry leaders who (1) identify as
heterosexual and cis-gender (in other words not LGBTQIA+); (2) who consider themselves LGBTQIA+ affirming; and (3) who are actively seeking to develop their affirmation for the LGBTQIA+ community.
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LOVEboldly is strategically and missionally focused on Ohio. Therefore, preference will be given to ministry leaders living, working, and/or studying in Ohio at the start of the fellowship.
Who leads the Travelers Program?
The LOVEboldly Travelers Program is coordinated and led by the Rev. Dr. Ben Huelskamp. An experienced leader in nonprofit, education, and ministry spaces, Ben (he/they) is the Executive Director of LOVEboldly and Pastor at Blue Ocean Faith Columbus.
You can learn more about Ben here and on his website.
What's the time commitment for travelers?
Each month will consist of approximately three, one-hour sessions:
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An exclusive, educational session in a webinar-format via Zoom.
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A small group call (via Zoom) with all the travelers and Ben.
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A one-to-one coaching session with Ben (either in-person or via Zoom).
There are two, one-day, in-person retreats held in/near Columbus, OH (one in March and one in November). All other activities are held remotely via Zoom. Zoom sessions are recorded and made available to fellows who cannot attend a session. LOVEboldly will do everything possible to make the retreat experiences hybrid for any traveler who cannot make the retreats for an exceptional reason.
​Each fellow will complete a short capstone project as the final piece of the 10-month experience.​
What does the travelers program cost?
Cost for the 2025 Cohort - TBD
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The total cost of the cohort learning experience is approximately $1,500 per traveler*. LOVEboldly has applied for several grants and is working to get this cost down as much as possible. Each fellow will be asked to make a $100 deposit to hold their space. Final cost will be discussed with prospective fellows prior to the payment of their deposits. We hope to know more about cost by January 1, 2025, if not sooner.
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*This does not include travel costs to and from in-person gatherings or any other incidental costs incurred by individual fellows.
More Information and Application
Application
The application for the 2025 Cohort is live. The priority deadline is Friday, January 3, 2025, at 12pm. Applications will be accepted after January 3 on a space available basis. Please note that in 2024 all spots were taken by the priority deadline. Apply early!
Questions?