Advanced Courses
Our standing policy is: “Online Courses may be counted as continuing education on the same basis as Alternative Advanced Courses can be counted (every other time a Certified Lay Servant completes continuing education for credit).” We have suspended this policy through the end of 2022. You may take an on-line class to meet continuing education requirements for Certified Lay Servant and Certified Lay Speaker without prior approval from your District Director. (Please remember that you must submit your certificate of completion of any on-line classes with your next annual report.)
Some districts are offering virtual courses. Also on-line classes may be taken through BeADisciple.com. They offer a wide variety of classes, so please make sure you are taking only those courses approved for Lay Servant Ministries. The list of approved classes can be found at https://www.beadisciple.com/lay-servant-ministries/ Please be aware that classes may fill up quickly.
Advanced courses are developed by Discipleship Ministries in cooperation with the Education Committee of the Association of Conference Directors of Lay Servant Ministries. Advanced courses provide at least 10 hours of instruction. Advanced courses use a required text and will involve pre-course assignments.
Lay Servant Ministries courses are open to ALL, whether or not an enrollee applies to serve as a lay servant. Classes that "count toward the Lay Speaker track" may be taken by anyone, not just individuals pursuing Certified Lay Speaker status.
Conference Wide Alternative Advanced Courses
To receive continuing education credit for an Alternative Advanced Course, you must:
- Contact your District Director(s) of Lay Servant Ministries PRIOR to attending the event for approval and to obtain the required Continuing Education Form.
- Take the Continuing Education Form to the event and obtain the instructor's signature at the end of the course.
- Upon completion of the course and your portion of the form, return the completed form to your District Director to receive credit.
Prior permission is NOT required to take a regular Advanced Course outside of your home District.
District Sponsored Trainings
Cache River District
Embarras River District
Illinois River District
Title: Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (UM Polity) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022
Times: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Location: Morton UMC, 420 N Tennessee Ave., Morton, IL 61550
Cost: $ 20.00 (bring a sack lunch and your own snacks; coffee and water will be provided)
Instructor: Rev. Bradley Watkins III
Contact: Kim Wade, kamwade77@outlook.com or 309-825-7237 (call or text)
Required text: The Method of Our Mission by Laceye C. Warner (978-1-42676-717-3) Individuals are expected to purchase the text and read it prior to the first class. Available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Cokesbury. Available for Kindle.
Iroquois River District
Title: Called to Preach
Dates: Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022
Times: Friday--5:30 p.m. check in to 9:00 p.m., Saturday--8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Both days are required.
Location: Danville: St. James UMC, 504 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL 61832
Cost: $40.00 (includes Saturday lunch, drinks and snacks)
Registration Deadline: Friday, Nov. 4, 2022
Instructor(s): Rev. James Fielder
Text Used: From Pew to Pulpit by Clifton F. Guthrie
Book can be ordered at Bookstore.UpperRoom.org for $18.99
Contact: Susan Connor 217-259-1649 (if you have further questions)
Register online...
Title: Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (United Methodist Polity)
Dates: Friday, Nov. 18 and Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022
Times:Friday--5:30 p.m. check in to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday--8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. -- Both days are required.
Location: Danville: St. James UMC, 504 N. Vermilion St., Danville, IL 61832
Cost:$40.00 (includes Saturday lunch, drinks and snacks)
Registration Deadline: Friday, Nov. 4, 2022
Instructor(s): Rev. Jill Bunker
Text Used: Polity, Practice, and the Mission of The United Methodist Church by Thomas E. Frank
Book can be ordered on line at Bookstore.UpperRoom.org for $12.00 or $9.99 on Kindle
Contact: Susan Connor 217-259-1649 (if you have further questions)
Register online...
Kaskaskia River District
LaMoine River District
Mississippi River District
Sangamon River District
Spoon River District
Title: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (one of six required classes for lay speakers; also counts toward re-certification as lay servant or lay speaker)
Date: Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022
Time: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: Galesburg Faith UMC, 876 East Knox St., Galesburg, IL
Cost: $20. Participants will bring their own snacks, drinks and lunch. Participants are required to purchase their own book, entitled Each One a Minister available at Upper Room, Amazon, or Cokesbury.
Registration deadline: Oct. 22, 2022. To register or for more information, email Claudia Emken at:cemken@mymctc.net
Instructor: Pastor Lisa Unger, Cambridge UMC
Vermilion River District
