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:

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

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:  Life Together in the United Methodist Connection (UM Polity) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturdays, May 5 and 12, 2018 (both dates required) 
COMPLETED.

#2
Title: You Can Preach! (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Friday, June 15, and Saturday, June 16, 2018 (both dates required)
COMPLETED.
 

Embarras River District

#1
Title:  Dancing with Words
Dates:  Saturdays, Oct. 13 and 20, 2018 (both days required)
Time:  7:30 AM-3:30 PM (Registration begins at 7:15 AM)
Location:  Centenary UMC, 203 E Grove Ave, Effingham, IL 62401
Cost:  $35.00 (includes two meals and snacks)
Registration deadline:  Monday, Oct. 1  Registration on-line soon.
Contact:  Lori Sparks, 217-259-3234, la_sparks2008@yahoo.com
Required text: Dancing with Words by Ray Buckley (ISBN 978-0-88177-407-8). Individuals are expected to purchase and read this book prior to first class.  Available through Upper Room, Cokesbury, and Amazon.

#2
Title:  Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates:  Saturdays, Oct. 13 and 20, 2018 (both days required)
Time:  7:30 AM-3:30 PM (Registration begins at 7:15 AM)
Location:  Centenary UMC, 203 E Grove Ave, Effingham, IL 62401
Cost:  $35.00 (includes two meals and snacks)
Registration deadline:  Monday, Oct. 1  Registration on-line soon.
Contact:  Lori Sparks, 217-259-3234, la_sparks2008@yahoo.com
Required text: Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way by Kenneth Carder (ISBN 978-0-88177-571-6).  Individuals are expected to purchase this text and read the book prior to the first class. Available through Amazon, Upper Room, or Cokesbury.

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) 
Times: Saturday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM, and Sunday, 1:30-4:30 PM
Location: Morton UMC, 420 N. Tennessee Ave., Morton, IL 61550
Cost: $30.00 (includes lunch)
Contact: Kim Wade, kamwade@hotmail.com, 309-825-7237 (call or text)
Required text:  From Pew to Pulpit by Clifton F. Guthrie  (ISBN 978-0-88177-375-0).  Individuals are expected to purchase this text and read the book prior to the first class.  Available through Amazon, Cokesbury, and Upper Room.

#2
Title:  Leading Worship (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, Sept. 22, and Sunday, Sept. 23, 2018 (both days required) 
Times: Saturday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM, and Sunday, 1:30-4:30 PM
Location: Morton UMC, 420 N. Tennessee Ave., Morton, IL 61550
Cost: $30.00 (includes lunch)
Contact: Kim Wade, kamwade@hotmail.com, 309-825-7237 (call or text)
Required test:  Worshiping with United Methodists (Rev. Ed.) by Hoyt L. Hickman (ISBN 978-0-687-33526-8). Individuals are expected to read and complete this text prior to the first class.  Available through Amazon, Cokesbury, and Upper Room.

Iroquois River District

Kaskaskia River District

#1
Title:  Aging and Ministry in the 21st Century
Date:  Saturday, May 5, 2018
COMPLETED.

#2
Title:  Leading in Prayer (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Saturday, May 5, 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:  Called to Preach (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates:  Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED. 

#2
Title:  Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates:  Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#3
Title:  Lay Servants Lead in Conflict Resolution
Dates:  Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

#4
Title:  Lay Pastoral Care Giving
Dates:  Saturday, April 7, and Sunday, April 8, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED.

Spoon River District

#1
Title:  Leading Prayer (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Saturday, July 21, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Knoxville UMC, 303 S. Broad St., Knoxville, IL 61448
Cost:  $20 (includes lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: July 10, 2018
Instructor:  Pastor John Knueppel
Contact:  Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net
Required text:  Let the Whole Church Say Amen!  by L.C. Stookey (ISBN 9780687090778).  Available through Amazon (paperback and Kindle), Cokesbury, and Upper Room.  Participants are expected to purchase and read this text prior to class.

#2
Title:  Life Together in the UM Connection (Polity) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Wednesday, Aug. 1, and Thursday, Aug.2, 2018 (both dates required)
Time:  10:00 AM-3:00 PM both days
Location: TBD, Monmouth area
Cost:  $20.00 (includes lunch and snacks)
Registration deadline: July 20, 2018. Class size limited
Instructor:  Peggy Kulczewski
Contact:  Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net
Required text:  The Method of our Mission  by Laceye C. Warner.  (ISBN 9781426767173).  Available through Amazon (paperback & Kindle), Cokesbury (paperback & eBook) and Upper Room.  Participants are expected to purchase and read this text prior to class. Participants should bring a copy of the 2016 United Methodist Book of Discipline to the course.

#3
Title:  Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018
Time:  TBD
Location:  Moline Bethel Wesley UMC, 1201 13th St., Moline
Cost: TBD
Registration deadline:  Sept. 1, 2018
Instructor: Jozett McCoy
Contact: Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net

#4
Title:  Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (Heritage) (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Date:  Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018
Time: 9:00 AM-7:00 PM
Location: Galesburg First UMC, 120 N Kellogg St, Galesburg, IL 61401
Cost: $40.00 
Registration deadline:  Oct. 20, 2018
Instructor: Pastor Paul Newhall
Contact: Claudia Emken, cemken@mymctc.net

Vermilion River District

#1
Title:  You Can Preach! (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Sunday, April 22, and Saturday, April 28, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED. 

#2
Title: Leading Prayer (counts toward Certified Lay Speaker track)
Dates: Saturday, May 19, and Sunday, May 20, 2018 (both days required)
COMPLETED,