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Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM History) – 2 Weeks

The Beacon district Lay Servant Ministries team presents Living Our United Methodist Beliefs (UM History) with Tom Santa and Janet Groberski.

This 8-hour class is divided between two Saturday mornings. Participants must attend both sessions in order to receive credit for the course.

February 7 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

February 14, 2026 @ 8:00 am – 12:00 pm

Zoom

$15

Course scholarships are available to those in need of financial assistance. Scholarships reduce the cost of a course to $5. Please contact your district director or lsm@nccumc.org.

About the Course:

This course will explore the special gifts of theology, witness, and organization that The United Methodist Church brings to the church universal, how we got where we are today, and how our distinctive emphases are still needed in the 21st-century church.

Participants will:

  • Gain an understanding of the distinctive traditions and emphases of The United Methodist Church;
  • Learn about the journey of the people historically known as Methodists and Evangelical United Brethren, who united in 1968 to form The United Methodist Church;
  • Learn about the contributions of the early leaders of these churches – Wesley, Otterbein, Boehm, Albright, and many others;
  • Develop skills in interpreting United Methodist heritage and emphases to the local church and its members.

Order Your Book!

All participants are expected to read Living Our Beliefs: The United Methodist Way, by Kenneth L. Carder, prior to the course.

For questions about the course, please contact Beacon Lay Servant Ministries district director, Tom Santa (tsanta5721@hotmail.com).

To receive credit for a Zoom course, full attention and presence are required. Whether online or in person, staying engaged with the group and fully focused ensures the best learning experience. Zoom classes are interactive—expect breakout rooms, activities, and group discussions throughout the day.

About the Facilitators:

Tom Santa is a certified lay minister and lay speaker from Moyock UMC. He is passionate about becoming a better disciple and helping others to grow in relationship with God and with one another. He is the husband of Michelle, who introduced him to the Methodist church, and father of Mary Elysse and Lauren. Tom retired from the Navy after 22 years as an active-duty Nurse Corps officer and now serves as a full-time family and acute care nurse practitioner.

Janet Groberski, a certified lay minister and certified lay speaker, has been a lay leader and lay servant at Westwood UMC in Goldsboro since 2014. She taught an adult Sunday school class for 10 years and is a member of the choir. Her sermons are based on the lectionary or specific scriptural topics. Before moving to Goldsboro, she served in the Air Force for 30 years, traveling to many assignments. Most people who know her know that she is a lover of cats, with seven furry friends at home, and she also cares for a feral colony