In 2019 the United Methodist Foundation of Pennsylvania launched a Laity Leadership Academy designed to empower laity to lead the churches of our region in the ever-changing landscape of congregational life. Participants read some of the greatest books currently available on the topic, experience seminars led by the finest leaders in our conference, engage with one another in dialogue, and build relationships that provide support for the journey.
Each one of the Academies is structured around two modules. The first module is one year long, experienced together in several weekend retreats held at Mount Asbury in Newville. During these retreats, topics relevant to congregational leadership in the current culture are covered.
The second module is custom designed for each participant, allowing her or him to explore an area of leadership individually for which she or he is especially well equipped. That determination is made after an assessment of the participant’s spiritual gifts and strengths. That module is open-ended; it can be accomplished at whatever pace makes sense to the individual participant.
In total, the entire experience provides 100 hours of training.
Through her participation in Module I, JoAnne became convinced of the need of the church to encourage laity to be more involved in caring ministries, especially in hospitals and nursing homes. During the Laity Leadership Academy, her spiritual gift assessments pointed out that God has called her to a life of faith with a positive approach to living. And she heard in the Academy that the church needs to live out our mission, vision, and core values more intentionally; and that the day is upon us when we need to rethink the ways in which we recruit, train, and deploy volunteers.
All these dynamics came together as JoAnne planned her project for Module II. It took two forms. First, she enrolled in a training program at a hospital in Harrisburg to become a chaplain’s assistant, a course that was supervised by the hospital’s full time, professional chaplain. She not only completed the training, but also attended several additional meetings and workshops offered by the chaplain’s department. By so doing, she far exceeded the number of hours required by the Laity Academy.
But she still was not done. JoAnne designed a four-hour course for church lay volunteers which introduces the process of hospital and nursing home visitation. The course provides a general overview of the visitation process, with special consideration for issues that emerge at the end of life. The course draws not only from JoAnne’s vast experience and insight, but also from resources used by professionals in the field.
JoAnne has been on quite a journey. Not only has she heard to call to serve and to empower others to serve, but she did so at a time when congregational life has been disrupted by cultural change, the pandemic, and the dynamics within our denomination. But she realized, amid all that change, that our call to serve the least among us needs to be paramount; that Jesus himself reminds us that our care of those on the margins reflects our faith in him. Many aspects of the Christian church have changed and will continue to change, but our call to care will not.
Through her participation in Module I, Betty Ann became convinced of the need for congregations to be more fully in touch with their unique vision, mission, and core values. So often, congregations seek to be like every other congregation, without being aware of the ways in which the Holy Spirit gives them, as a group, a very specific role to play in the Body of Christ. And so, Betty Ann developed a project that would help folks be more aware of the work of the Spirit, especially focused on the gifts that the Spirit gives.
But Betty Ann also learned clearly that leaders in the current season of congregational life need to be ready to adapt and adjust on a moment’s notice; that the same Holy Spirit who gives us spiritual gifts also calls us to new ventures as the needs of the church change over time. The Holy Spirit spoke to Betty Ann, and she listened. She became convinced that pastors in the church of today are dealing with profound stress. She became convinced that she needed to use one of her own spiritual gifts, the gift of encouragement, to find a way to encourage pastors who are serving in these difficult days.
Each one of the participants in the Laity Academy is asked to submit a report to the Dean of the Foundation School of Leadership summarizing their project. For her project, and her report, she wrote a devotional book designed to give courage to those who serve. It offers devotional thoughts for 52 weeks, an entire year of encouragement! And while Betty Ann intended to support the work of pastors, it could also be helpful to anyone who needs a word of encouragement to face the week ahead.
But the Holy Spirit was not quite done with Betty Ann. Through this journey, the cabinet of the Susquehanna Conference recognized that her gift of encouragement could be used in a broader context as a pastor. They approached her about that possibility and invited her to serve as the pastor of Lincoln Chapel United Methodist Church. Betty Ann recognized the voice of the Holy Spirit calling her to yet another new venture and accepted their invitation!
On December 31 at Mifflinburg UM C, Rev. Barry Robison, Director of Relationships and Stewardship Development at the Foundation presented Betty Ann with a Certificate of Completion on behalf of Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi and the Board of Directors. Her pastor, the Rev. Bob Rice, also took part in the presentation.
The Laity Leadership Academy has been retooled to meet the needs of congregations who are experiencing hardship in this season. Now known as the Empowered Church Project, the program is designed to assist churches who struggle due to cultural shifting, the effects of the pandemic, and the dynamics within our denomination. Recruitment for the 2025 cohort will begin soon. If you would like to enroll your congregation, or if you simply want more information, please contact the Dean of the Foundation School of Leadership, Dr. Joseph Patterson at jpatterson@umfoundation.org.
To find out more about the funds management, education, and strengthening ministries provided by The United Methodist Foundation of Pennsylvania, visit umfoundation.org.
Spring Grants
The UM Foundation awards a limited number of grants to local churches and affiliated agencies of the Western Pennsylvania and Susquehanna Conferences of the United Methodist Church. These grants are intended for (but are not limited to) funding for ministries, programs, consultant and auditing services, stewardship resources, conference or meeting attendance or hosting costs, and emergency needs, among others.
Applications for funding may come from any church or ministry of or related to the Western PA or Susquehanna Conferences of the United Methodist Church and must be for a need consistent with the mission of the UM Foundation. Grants are made possible by funding from the Stewart Endowment and the Paul D. Taylor Ministry Opportunity Fund. Before completing an application, please carefully review both our Grant Guidelines and How to Apply to ensure that the ministry or need for which you are applying meets the requirements of the Foundation’s grant program. Applications must be received during the grant application window: February 23 - March 18. All applications for Foundation grants must be submitted electronically via email to grants@umfoundation.org using the Grant Application Form. Be sure to watch the on-demand webinar called “Ten Tips For A Successful Foundation Grant Application.”
