03/14/21. Signups for Online Lay Servant Courses as well as In-Person Lay Servant Courses for the Lay Academy are now available. The following presents all of the details for both the online courses and the in-person courses. Also, below is the Registration Form that you can use to signup.
Online Lay Servant Courses – to be offered remotely
Intro to Lay Servant Ministries (BASIC course) – This
course is for persons discerning a call to proclaim the
presence and power of God through serving in their local
churches. March 1 – 29, 2021 via Zoom.
United Methodist Polity – This course gives participants
an overview of the structure and organization of The
United Methodist Church. April 5 – 26, 2021 via Zoom.
Leading Worship – This course focuses on the ministry of
the lay servant who either regularly or occasionally leads a
group or congregation in worship. May 3 – 24, 2021 via
Zoom.
Planning Worship – This course builds on the course
Leading Worship, and it is grounded in the principles
and practices of worship planning. June 7 – 28, 2021 via
Zoom.
Delivering an Effective Sermon – Moving beyond the
basics of public speaking and the foundations necessary
for preparing an engaging sermon, includes types of
sermons—from exegetical to topical to children’s
sermons—as well as how to find a story, how to use the
hymnal, and how to move from communication on paper
to beyond the paper. Pre-requisite: Advanced Preaching.
July 5 – 26, 2021 via Zoom
Public Prayer – Praying in public can be daunting, but
prayer is something one learns. This course on praying in
public will help the participant grow in confidence and
skill in public prayer and enrich their personal prayer life.
August 2 – August 23, 2021 via Zoom.
Living as UM Christians – This course will explore the
special gifts of theology, witness, and organization that
The United Methodist Church brings to the church
universal, how we got where we are today, and how our
distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21st-century
church. September 7 – 28, 2021 via Zoom.
Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts – This course will
explore the special gifts of theology, witness, and
organization that The United Methodist Church brings to
the church universal, how we got where we are today, and
how our distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21stcentury church. October 5 – 26, 2021 via Zoom.
Devotional Life in the UM Tradition – Structured around
Wesley’s “means of grace,” this study covers, among other
topics, prayer, Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, and fasting –
major features in John Wesley’s devotional life.
Participants will learn how they can apply Wesley’s
ministry to their own life. November 1 – 22, 2021 via
Zoom.
In-person Lay Servant Courses – Lay Academy scheduled from 8:00am – 5:00pm on April 17, 2021.
Class size limited: 4-10 * Masks and social distancing required * Locations has yet to be determined
X – Introduction to Lay Servant Ministries (BASIC
course) – This course is for persons discerning a call to
proclaim the presence and power of God through serving
in their local churches.
X – Leading Bible Study – This course opens a new world
for many lay servants who have not had professional
training in biblical interpretation.
X – Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts – This course will explore the special gifts of theology, witness, and organization that The United Methodist Church brings to the church universal, how we got where we are today, and
how our distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21stcentury church.
X – Lay Pastoral Caregiving – This course offers insights
into the life span and the dynamics of contemporary life
to help church leaders reach out with God’s love and care
to others.
X – Advanced Preaching – This course is designed for
those who have not completed formal preaching training,
for pastors seeking a basic refresher course, and for
others who are called upon to preach in a pastor’s
absence. This is the required preaching course in the lay
speaker track of study.
Leading Worship – This course focuses on the ministry of
the lay servant who either regularly or occasionally leads a
group or congregation in worship.
Below is the Registration Form you can use to signup.