Advanced Courses

Face-to-face courses are currently postponed due to COVID-19.  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 are suspending this policy through the end of 2021. 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.)

On-line classes are 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.

Districts may also offer virtual classes.

Advanced courses are developed by Discipleship 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:

1. Contact your District Director(s) of Lay Servant Ministries PRIOR to attending the event for approval and to obtain the required Continuing Education Form. 
2. Take the Continuing Education Form to the event and obtain the instructor's signature at the end of the course.
3. 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.

Opportunity #1
None available at this time.

District Sponsored Trainings

Cache River District

Embarras River District

Illinois River District

Iroquois River District

Kaskaskia River District

LaMoine River District

Mississippi River District

Sangamon River District

Title:  Called to Preach (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates:  Saturday, January 30 and February 6, 2021 (both dates required)
Times:  9:00 AM-12:00 noon and 1:00-4:00 PM (both dates)
Location:  Lifesize Video Conference Class
Cost:  $15
Registration deadline: Jan. 15, 2021.  Register at igrc-reg.brtapp.com/srdadvancedlayspeaking
Instructor:  Rev. Bradley Watkins, II
Contact:  Carol Conover, cconover@igrc.org
Required text: From Pew to Pulpit by Clifton F. Guthrie (ISBN  978-0-68706-660-5).  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.

Spoon River District
 

Vermilion River District