Advanced Courses

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.

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.

Opportunity #1

Title: Walking with Jesus in the Wesleyan Spirit
Dates: Sept. 22-23, 2017; Nov. 18, 2017; Feb. 17, 2018; and Mar. 24, 2018
COMPLETED.

District Sponsored Trainings

Cache River District

#1
Title: Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Friday, Feb. 15, and Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019 (both dates required) (bring a sack lunch)
Time: Friday, 6:00-8:00 PM; Saturday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Location: Marion Aldersgate UMC, 1201 N. Fair St., Marion, IL 62959
Cost: $35.00
Registration deadline: Jan. 25, 2019
Instructor: Rev. Ray Long
Contact: Ray Long, 618-499-0645; raylong60@mediacombb.net; 1402 Mathew Lane, Marion, IL 62959
Required text: Worshiping with United Methodists (revised) by Hoyt Hickman (ISBN 978-0-6873-3536-8). Individuals are expected to purchase, read, and study this book prior to first class. Available through Cokesbury and Amazon,. Available for Kindle.

#2
Title: Living Our UM Beliefs (Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Friday, Apr. 5, and Saturday, Apr. 6, 2019 (both dates required) (bring a sack lunch)
Time: Friday, 6:00-8:00 PM; Saturday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Location: Marion Aldersgate UMC, 1201 N. Fair St., Marion, IL 62959
Cost: $35.00
Registration deadline: Jan. 25, 2019
Instructor: Rev. Ray Long
Contact: Ray Long, 618-499-0645; raylong60@mediacombb.net; 1402 Mathew Lane, Marion, IL 62959
Required text: Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way by Kenneth L. Carder (ISBN 978-0-88177-571-6). Individuals are expected to purchase, read, and study this book prior to first class. Available through Amazon, Cokesbury, and Upper Room. Available for Kindle and as ePub.

#3
Title: Lay Pastoral Care Giving
Dates: Friday, Nov. 15, and Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019 (both dates required) (bring a sack lunch)
Time: Friday, 6:00-8:00 PM; Saturday, 8:00 AM-5:00 PM
Location: Marion Aldersgate UMC, 1201 N. Fair St., Marion, IL 62959
Cost: $35.00
Registration deadline: Oct. 25, 2019
Instructor: TBA
Contact: Ray Long, 618-499-0645; raylong60@mediacombb.net; 1402 Mathew Lane, Marion, IL 62959
Required text: Lay Pastoral Care Giving by Tim Farabaugh (ISBN 978-0-88177-554-9). Individuals are expected to purchase, read, and study this book prior to first class. Available through Upper Room, Amazon, and Cokesbury.

Embarras River District

#1
Title: Dancing with Words
Dates: Saturdays, Oct. 13 and 20, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#2
Title: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturdays, Oct. 13 and 20, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

Illinois River District

#1
Title: Called to Preach! (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, Sept. 22, and Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#2
Title: Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, Sept. 22, and Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

Iroquois River District

#1
Title: Leading in Prayer  (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Saturday, Mar. 9, 2019
Time:  8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Homer UMC,  301 S. Main St., Homer, IL 61849
SAVE THE DATE. MORE INFORMATION SOON.

#2
Title: Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday Mar. 16, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Homer UMC, 301 S. Main St., Homer, IL 61849
SAVE THE DATE. MORE INFORMATION SOON.

#3
Title: Called to Preach! (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Champaign First UMC, 210 W. Church St., Champaign, IL 61820
SAVE THE DATE. MORE INFORMATION SOON.

#4
Title: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track
Date:  Saturday, Sept. 14, 2019
Time:  8:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Champaign First UMC,  210 W. Church St., Champaign, IL 61820
SAVE THE DATE. MORE INFORMATION SOON.

Kaskaskia River District

Title: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, Nov. 10, 2018
COMPLETED.

LaMoine River District

#1
Title: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: May 5, 2018
COMPLETED.

#2
Title: Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: May 5, 2018
COMPLETED.

Mississippi River District

Sangamon River District

#1
Title: Discover Your Spiritual Gifts (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Nov. 3 and 4, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#2
Title: Life Together in the UM Connection (UM Polity) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Nov. 3 and 4, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#3
Title: Called to Preach (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Nov. 3 and 4, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#4
Title: Dancing with Words
Dates: Nov. 3 and 4, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

Spoon River District

#1
Title: Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (Polity) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Location: Henderson UMC, 100 East Washington St., Henderson, IL 61439
Cost: $20 (includes lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: Jan. 26, 2019. Register at cemken@mymctc.net
Instructor: Pastor Krey Leesman
Contact: Claudia Emken,cemken@mymctc.net
Required text: The Method of Our Mission by Laceye C. Warner (ISBN 879-1-42676-717-3). Participants must purchase their own book. Available at Amazon, Cokesbury or Upper Room. Available for Kindle.

#2
Title: Dancing With Words (Storytelling)
Date: Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Location: Henderson UMC, 100 East Washington St., Henderson, IL 61439
Cost: $40 (includes book, lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: Jan. 26, 2019. Register at cemken@mymctc.net
Instructor: Jozett McCoy
Contact: Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net

#3
Title: Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday, Mar. 30, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Location: Wesley Foundation, 1325 West University Dr., Macomb, IL 61455
Cost: $20 (includes lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: Mar. 9, 2019. Register at cemken@mymctc.net
Instructor: Pastor Mark Hendrickson
Contact: Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net
Required text: Worshiping with United Methodists (revised) by Hoyt Hickman (ISBN 978-0-88177-682-9). Participants must purchase their own book. Available at Amazon, Cokesbury or Upper Room. Available for Kindle.

#4
Title: Leading in Prayer (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday, Mar. 30, 2019
Time: 8:00 AM-6:00 PM
Location: Wesley Foundation, 1325 West University Dr., Macomb, IL 61455
Cost: $20 (includes lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: Mar. 9, 2019. Register at cemken@mymctc.net
Instructor: Pastor Howard Ross
Contact: Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net
Required text: Let the Whole Church Say Amen! by Laurence Hull Stookey (ISBN 978-0-6870-9077-8). Participants must purchase their own book. Available at Amazon, Cokesbury or Upper Room. Available for Kindle.

Vermilion River District

Title: Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date: Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 3 and 4, 2018 (NEW DATES)
COMPLETED.

Lay Servant Ministries