What about a Massachusetts Conference Lay Academy?

By Susan Dickerman
Associate Conference Minister for Leadership Development

The Commission for Educational Ministries is considering initiating a lay academy for pastors and lay leaders in our local congregations. The Lay Academy would explore ones faith as a lay leader in the congregation and create opportunities for resourcing and networking in a community setting.
This one year course of study would focus on supporting members to be leaders in their local church setting by engaging in five specific ministry topics. The topics would include:  faith formation, stewardship, transformative leadership, mission and justice ministry and evangelism. Courses would feature instruction, class discussion, reading assignments, reflection papers and sharing experiences with one’s home church. Topics would be taught by Conference staff and clergy and lay leaders with expertise in a given area. At the end of the one year course, a certificate would be presented. 
Would you consider participating in such a lay academy? How would this academy experience strengthen your congregation? How might this experience support a discernment of call and vocation for lay leaders in congregations?  Please "Post a Comment" below to respond!

By: Susan Dickerman On 4/17/2012
Topics: MACUCC Staff Blog

Comments

1. Shelly Cichowlas wrote on 4/17/2012 12:00:00 AM
This sounds like a unique opportunity to pool resources, offer longer and more intensive training opportunity. The idea of meeting members of other congregations and sharing ideas would be exciting and synergizing! My question is cost? Time commitment? Travel? Would there be a possibility of CEU's?
2. Gail Wright wrote on 4/18/2012 12:00:00 AM
I think that this has wonderful potential. It might be good to look at whether some of it could be done as "distance" learning with a virtual community component. That way more people could take advantage of it.
3. brian lapis wrote on 4/20/2012 12:00:00 AM
I love the idea. I second Gail's idea. I wonder what it would be like to offer portions of this academy "on-line", so folks could take the courses on their own schedule.
4. Quentin Chin wrote on 4/23/2012 12:00:00 AM
I like the idea. Increasingly I see the purpose of the church as equipping the saints for ministry. While the Conference has a long east-west distance (Pittsfield to Provincetown), I hope the program could work in such a way as to bring it to a large number of people.
5. Angela Knapton wrote on 4/30/2012 12:00:00 AM
I think this is a great idea. I think a mix of online and in person classes would be awesome!
6. Beverly Prestwood-Taylor wrote on 5/9/2012 12:00:00 AM
Lay people seem to hunger for a deeper exploration of faith and practice. I hope we find a way to make it feasible for folks near and far (to Framingham.)
7. Diane Blair wrote on 5/9/2012 12:00:00 AM
I would love to participate in this type of a program. I have been looking for something exactly like this for the last year and a half since becoming an active member of the FCC of Sharon MA.