{"id":9962,"date":"2025-12-11T15:36:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T20:36:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/laity\/?p=9962"},"modified":"2025-12-11T15:36:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-11T20:36:19","slug":"lay-speaker-courses-register-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/laity\/2025\/12\/lay-speaker-courses-register-now\/","title":{"rendered":"Lay Speaker Courses – Register Now!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Do you feel called to preach\u2014or want to be ready to step into the pulpit when your pastor is away? <\/strong>Our certified lay speaker courses equip laity to serve with confidence, skill, and faith-filled leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re considering a call to become a certified lay speaker, this winter is the perfect time to get started. <\/strong>This January and February, we are offering four of the six advanced courses required for certification.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curious what lay speaking looks like in practice? <\/strong>Visit our Meet Our Lay Speakers<\/a> page to see who is serving in your area and watch sample sermons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All courses are open to any layperson who wants to grow in worship leadership or general ministry\u2014whether or not you plan to pursue certification.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Registration closes soon\u2014sign up today!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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United Methodist Polity<\/a>
with Tom Hallberg and Tom Santa
Jan 17, 8:30am\u20135pm
Hertford UMC
Register by January 1!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Leading Worship<\/a>
with Shawn Blackwelder
Jan 31, 8:30am\u20135pm
Genesis UMC (Cary)
Register by January 15!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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UM\u00a0History\u00a0\u2013\u00a02 Weeks<\/a>
with Tom Santa and Janet Groberski
Feb 7 & 14, 8am\u201312pm
Zoom (must attend both sessions)
Register by January 22!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Public Prayer<\/a>
with Jim Bolyard
Feb 21, 8:30am\u20135:00pm
Gibson Memorial UMC (Spring Hope)
Register by February 5!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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View All Upcoming Courses<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Looking for other advanced courses?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strengthen your preaching and communication skills with this course on storytelling, or gain ideas and inspiration for connecting with college students with our new course on campus ministry\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Dancing with Words<\/a>
with Mel Pitts
Jan 24, 9am\u20135:30pm
Wrightsville Beach
Register by January 8!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Campus Ministry\u00a0<\/a>\u2013 4 Weeks!
with Tom Greener and Ann Davis
Jan 6, 13, 20, & 27, 6:30\u20138:30
Zoom (must attend all sessions)
Register by December 18!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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View All Upcoming Courses<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Do you feel called to preach\u2014or want to be ready to step into the pulpit when your pastor is away?\u00a0Our certified lay speaker courses equip laity to serve with confidence, skill, and faith-filled leadership. If you\u2019re considering a call to become a certified lay speaker, this winter is the perfect time to get started.\u00a0This January and February, we are offering four of the six advanced courses required for certification.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":199,"featured_media":8210,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_tec_requires_first_save":true,"_EventAllDay":false,"_EventTimezone":"","_EventStartDate":"","_EventEndDate":"","_EventStartDateUTC":"","_EventEndDateUTC":"","_EventShowMap":false,"_EventShowMapLink":false,"_EventURL":"","_EventCost":"","_EventCostDescription":"","_EventCurrencySymbol":"","_EventCurrencyCode":"","_EventCurrencyPosition":"","_EventDateTimeSeparator":"","_EventTimeRangeSeparator":"","_EventOrganizerID":[],"_EventVenueID":[],"_OrganizerEmail":"","_OrganizerPhone":"","_OrganizerWebsite":"","_VenueAddress":"","_VenueCity":"","_VenueCountry":"","_VenueProvince":"","_VenueState":"","_VenueZip":"","_VenuePhone":"","_VenueURL":"","_VenueStateProvince":"","_VenueLat":"","_VenueLng":"","_VenueShowMap":false,"_VenueShowMapLink":false,"_tribe_blocks_recurrence_rules":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_description":"","_tribe_blocks_recurrence_exclusions":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-announcements"],"yoast_head":"\nLay Speaker Courses - Register Now! | Laity Ministries | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/nccumc.org\/laity\/2025\/12\/lay-speaker-courses-register-now\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lay Speaker Courses - Register Now! | Laity Ministries | North Carolina Conference of The United Methodist Church\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you feel called to preach\u2014or want to be ready to step into the pulpit when your pastor is away?\u00a0Our certified lay speaker courses equip laity to serve with confidence, skill, and faith-filled leadership. 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