The United Methodist Foundation of PA: Laity Leadership Academy

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.

JoAnne Konick-McMahan, Lay Pastor of Mosaic Community Church, Halifax, was part of the fourth class to experience the Laity Leadership Academy, in the first group of participants from the Susquehanna Conference after the merger of our foundations. JoAnne is aware that ministries of caring do not belong to the pastor only, that laity need to be more involved in visitation and support to those who are experiencing the vulnerability that accompanies health crises or aging. People who are in clinical settings and their families often experience anxiety and fear, especially those who are traveling closer to the end of life. JoAnne is no stranger to the needs of vulnerable people. She served many years as an acute and critical care nurse and served our connection as a certified lay servant. 

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. 

Betty Ann Berry, a member of Mifflinburg United Methodist Church, was also part of the fourth class to experience the Laity Leadership Academy. 

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.”

Growing Spiritual Transformational Leaders: From My Heart to Yours

Kim Shockley, Coordinator of Lay Excellence

I am writing this article today as a lay person who serves within the Susquehanna Conference as the Coordinator of Lay Excellence. 

In recent weeks I have continued my work among you as a coach, consultant, and facilitator/trainer. I have been concerned that we—lay and clergy alike—could do a better job of seeing the big picture of who we are together as the Susquehanna Conference of the United Methodist Church. I realize that when I speak or write, sometimes my internal judge comes out and folks feel judged or scolded. Please know up front that is not my intent in writing today. My heart is heavy and it seems to me that I can speak a truth from my perspective that may help us to move forward together in a way that will be winsome to the people around us.

So, here it is: the most discouraging phrase that I hear from some folks in local churches is an angry, blaming line that says something like, “The Conference did this to us.” I usually hear this during the appointment season when your beloved pastor is being appointed to another congregation, even though it is clear that pastor’s appointments are for one year at a time. And I’ve heard it in every Conference that I’ve served, throughout the United States! I know that these words come from your grief in losing this pastor, and your grief is often expressed early on with anger and blame. Here are some thoughts to consider:

1. We are “The Conference.” All of us together make up the Susquehanna Conference of the UMC! We pay Shares of Ministry to support “The Conference.” We send your pastor and lay people to represent you when “The Conference” meets every year. We are “The Conference!”
2. When we are blaming a change of appointment, we are essentially blaming the difficult work of our Cabinet and Bishops. It may help us to put these faces with the words. The appointment season for 2023 was the most difficult ever. With 141 churches and quite a few pastors disaffiliating, and 25-30 pastors retiring, the work that our Cabinet and Bishops had to do to make sure that churches have pastors was daunting to say the least. They already know that our itinerate system will be difficult for some and many will experience grief. Are we praying for the work that these dedicated men and women of God do on our behalf every year? Could we send them notes of encouragement? A friendly voice in their email inbox would be a welcome experience! Now with increased territory to cover, our prayers and encouragement will be the best part of their day! This also applies to our Bishops, who manage three different Annual Conferences— imagine what their days and nights are like times three! I interact with each of these people in my work. I know they are trying their best to do a nearly impossible task. They need our prayers and encouragement!
3. Let’s talk about the math—if we retire 30 pastors each year and only ordain or commission a handful, how long will we have pastors to send? If our churches or charges doesn’t have a person in the “pipeline” toward professional ministry, that is a real problem for us all! Consider someone who may be called to be a Certified Lay Minister—folks who want to be able serve congregations or live out a specialized ministry either within or beyond their local church. Consider those who may be called to be a Local Pastor—who are the hands and feet of Jesus in a multitude of our communities. Consider those who may be called to Ordained Ministry as Elders and Deacons—they take the extra steps of training and accountability to lead our churches well. All of these people come first from a local church within our connection. They are our people! How are you praying for God’s voice and God’s call to be heard among the people of your congregation?
4. Finally, consider the work of your congregation. How are you praying for and partnering with your pastor? Are you actively looking for the next people to invite to your church? Are you planning special events (mission, fellowship, fun) specifically to invite others to get to know you and your congregation? How do you welcome newcomers? It is everyone’s responsibility to provide that warm and friendly greeting to each other, as well as those who you meet throughout the week – they are your neighbors, and God has told us to love our neighbors! Even a church with a few folks can do the work of being salt and light in their community by being a place of prayer and hospitality.

A friend shared an image that helps me to grab hold of these concepts and put them back together again. Consider the work of our conference today like a wagon wheel. The goal would be to move, like the spokes of the wheel, into the hub where we are closest to God. The one thing that often keeps us from getting closer to one another is our inability to forgive. If we can’t get closer to one another, then we can’t get closer to God. I encourage you to find ways to move through grief and anger toward forgiveness so that you can embrace the new opportunity that has come your way. As a preacher’s wife, I’ve been in this mix many times, but I discovered that God always provides the next right answer, especially if I had an attitude to be able to search for it and embrace it. I pray that you can do the same. God is with us, always!

Growing Spiritual Transformational Leaders: Exciting Opportunities to Empower Lay People in 2023

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.