2022 theme for Laity Sunday based on 2 Timothy 1:8-12 is
Rise Up! AND Reveal God’s Grace
“The witness of the laity, their Christ-like examples of everyday living as well as the sharing of their own faith experiences of the gospel, is the primary evangelistic ministry through which all people will come to know Christ and the United Methodist Church will fulfill its mission.” (From 2016 Book of Disciple p.97)
July first is the beginning of a new church year. It is time to complete your Annual Report to be ready for your church’s Charge Conference. The Annual Report has been revised and is available on the website https://nccumc.org/laity/.
Recently the Sound District Lay Servant Ministry Board met and made plans for Lay Servant Ministry classes in the coming months. It was delightful to see friends and catch up on happenings in each other’s lives and ministries over lunch.
We discussed whether to continue Zoom or have classes in person. At this time, we will continue to offer Zoom classes and hopefully offer in–person or hybrid classes in the future. The main advantage of Zoom classes is the fact that people do not have to travel. Our LSM classes have included people from all districts across the Annual Conference. There have been people who were health or physically challenged and not able to travel but could participate in the class from their home. Zoom sessions have allowed those folks to be included.
Our DS, Jon Strother, offered to teach a course on September 24th titled Connectional Living and Connectional Giving. This class helps laity understand and share the world transforming power of connectional giving in the biblical/Wesleyan tradition. Any one is welcome to take this class. The posting and link for registration should be available soon!
Other classes still in the planning stages are Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (United Methodist History) in the fall of 2022, the Basic class in February 2023, and Soul Reset: Relearning the Rhythms of Grace Through Daily Life with God in the spring of 2023. More information will be coming about these classes!
In closing, a thought I found somewhere:
Of the people you meet, one person will read or know the Bible, the other 99 will “read” you!
What is your witness?
Blessings,
Roxie