Kim Shockley, Coordinator of Lay Excellence
This new year is bringing with it many opportunities to refresh and empower lay people throughout the Susquehanna Conference! Bishop Jeremiah Park often reminded us that we serve the risen Christ “for such a time as this!” Bishop Steiner-Ball and Bishop Moore Koi-Koi tell us that “God is doing a new thing!” Both of these scriptural directives ring true for me as the Coordinator of Lay Excellence! Now is the time for lay people to embrace their God-given gifts and talents for God’s Beloved Community!
There are two opportunities, among many, that are particularly helpful to our lay people. The first is our Certified Lay Minister School for 2023. Certified Lay Ministers (CLM) are current Certified Lay Servants who are feeling a call to a new ministry. Whether this is a supportive role within the life of your congregation, or as a pastor in another congregation, or as an educator, or musician, or community developer, CLM ministry is an important step in lay empowerment!
We have an exciting line up of instructors for this school and we are excited to see how God uses this training in your life! Some Districts are offering scholarships for this school, so check with your District Lay Servant Committee to see what may be available! The flyer with information and a registration link is provided here.
Second is our Coach Approach Training, offered in three locations in February and March for $15, which includes lunch. The instructors for these 6-hour training events are ICF Certified Coaches in our conference who are currently active members of our Susquehanna Coaching Network: Ron Doverspike, Ryan Krauss, and me.
The purpose of Coach Approach Training is to learn the skills of coaching and how to put it into practice. Anyone who leads a group or team will benefit from this training because the end result of a coach approach is greater accomplishment of goals and engagement of people in those goals. The posture of a coach approach is curiosity, leading to listening well and asking powerful questions that lead to committed action steps. Come join us as we learn the basics and several different ways that a coach approach can be used within your local congregation’s ministry. The flyer and registration is provided here.
If you have questions about either of these events, please contact me at kshockley@susumc.org.
