4 new courses will speak to heads and hearts. Register by July 28.
After wind, fire and earthquake, it was a still small voice, a mere whisper that spoke intimately to Elijah and gave him the instructions of where to go, what to do and who to call and anoint for service to God. (See 1 Kings 19:11-16)
We live in noisy, tumultuous times, with loud, often destructive disruptions happening in both our environmental and social ecosystems. So, it becomes all the more important for us to search for God’s quiet voice to gain true wisdom and direction in these times. That’s when we learn that quiet wisdom can speak volumes with composure, clarity, insight and grace.
Come join other disciples gathered to seek God’s still, small voice at session two of the 2023 EPA Laity Academy, happening August 4-5, at Eastern University in St. Davids. We’ll be there listening for God’s voice, while learning about our Lord and exploring our personal ministry paths together to see where those paths might travel and intersect.
The weekend will be focused on instruction, but also on serenity, prayer and introspection. Come for the classes; stay for the fellowship. Register by July 28.
This year you may select from nine courses, including 4 NEW ones. They each offer wisdom for the head and heart that can help disciples learn to open their hearts, minds and doors—still a useful, Wesleyan motto for The United Methodist Church.
The two Preaching courses (Speaking I & II) and the BASIC Course (which still has a few openings left) are all popular among registrants, who number over 50 so far, reports Diana Wrisley, Academy Dean. But there’s also plenty good room in the other courses.
The BASIC course, taught by Judy Ehninger, introduces the entry-level Christ Servant Ministry program to those who may have heard God’s still, small voice calling in them to Christian service. It provides a foundational understanding of God’s presence in our lives, the meaning and mission of the church, and how and where one’s spiritual gifts can be discovered, developed and put to good use.
Creation, Evolution, Intelligent Design Theory (NEW) explores our cosmic and human origins, a topic of great interest around some of the big questions of life. For example:
• “What is the best explanation for the origin of the cosmos? “
• “What is a reasonable explanation for the origin of life on earth?”
• “Do modern day Homo sapiens share a genetic lineage with ape or ape-like ancestors?”
• “Can modern science inform our understanding of the Genesis record in the Scriptures?”
• “Could ‘evolution’ be the mechanism through which God created life on earth, including we ourselves?
• “Is Genesis history, or is it best seen as allegory mixed with metaphor?”
We will first examine the primary areas of science relevant to these questions. Then we will examine the Biblical Record concerning the subject of ‘origins’. Although references to God’s role as the Author of Creation are found in both the Old and New Testaments, there will be a specific emphasis in this portion of our class on Jesus’ perspective about Creation.
Emotional Intelligence 2–The Next Step (NEW) follows the primary Emotional Intelligence course held in past Laity Academies. It takes us beyond introductory concepts of knowing one’s emotions, managing one’s emotions, motivating oneself, recognizing the emotions of others, and handling relationships. This workshop is completely application based and built on intentionally taking time to increase self-awareness which leads to managed responses.
Developing Christian Peer Mentoring Skills (NEW) will encourage those that are in Caring Ministries to develop skills needed to help encourage and guide others mentally, emotionally and spiritually. Mentoring is a companionship in which two or more persons intentionally come together to seek and respond to God’s activity in their lives. Simply telling others where they must go or what they must do won’t cut it.
The journey must be shared. Guiding requires a mentor’s heart. In this course we will learn what it means to have a mentor’s heart. By learning to be a mentor you can learn to offer an important gift in the life of another. We will delve into the Five C’s used in counseling: care, compassion, competence, communication, courage, and commitment to learn how to walk alongside another in a time of need.
Spirituality of Self-Care in a Busy and Overburdening World (NEW) Self-care is a new buzz phrase of this age. The Bible teaches us to put others before ourselves. So how can we live into a self-care lifestyle in an increasingly selfish society, while still demonstrating the selfless love of Christ. This workshop will explore important, healthy questions: Is self-care selfish? How do I find time for self-care in an already packed life? Is the instruction for a sabbath still valid? And is having a beer or chocolate dessert a valid form of self-care? Participants will leave with practical steps to insert self-care into their daily routines to help them grow into well-rounded, Christian, self-care practitioners.
Disciple-Making Small Groups is for anyone interested in beginning a small group at their church, or who now participates in small groups and wants to grow it into a disciple-making ministry. You will gain the necessary tools to offer and facilitate disciple-making groups tailored to the needs of your congregation. Current group facilitators will be able to share their experiences with others and learn new ways to use their ministries for disciple-making.
Servant Leadership What made Jesus a great leader? What was it about his approach to leadership that made his disciples answer the call to “Follow me” and then grow into a team that carried on his mission long after he physically departed from them? The answer? Servant Leadership. But what does that mean? Do we church and community leaders “come to serve and not to be served?” Servant Leadership places people first. Its goal is to help them develop, thrive and perform to their fullest, where success naturally follows through commitment, empowerment and engagement. The goal of this class is to get students on a leadership journey like that of Jesus, so we can help our churches flourish long after we are no longer in charge.