On Monday, July 26, the NC Conference Board of Laity donated a Buddy Bench to the Buckland Elementary School in Gates, NC, in honor of Bishop Hope. A Buddy Bench gives kids a place to go if they’re feeling lonely and left out. This bench signals to other children to come and join the child sitting there or to include that child in an activity. Watch the video above to see how the Buddy Bench will benefit Buckland Elementary.
Board of Laity
Registration Open for Online Class: Leading Public Prayer
Anyone who is called upon to lead public prayer may feel anxious and possibly inadequate for such a task. This course offers help for novices as well as veteran leaders of prayer as they create and deliver appropriate prayers for those on whose behalf the prayer is offered. Daily class lessons will run from March 8 – 19. Rev. William Green will facilitate the course.
Learners will:
- Consider what public prayer is and is not
- Acquire practical guidelines for avoiding common pitfalls
- Explore prayers as an integral part of worship
- Discuss the kind of language we need, and don’t need, to address God.
Participants must be comfortable with using a computer (email, using text dialog boxes, understanding and following links) to be successful in this course. Also, computer must have speakers for audio presentations. Class size limited to 15 persons.
REGISTRATION AVAILABLE FROM FEBRUARY 10 THROUGH FEBRUARY 24. Course fee: $30.00 (payable through Stripe) plus text. Required text can be purchased through Cokesbury by clicking on this link.(There is also an electronic version available.) The course text is NOT included in the course fee. Order it immediately to allow enough time for mailing. (If there are concerns about a timely delivery, it is also available from Amazon.)
Welcome to the Board of Laity!
Laity outnumber the clergy in our conference by at least 100 to 1 – so we have an incredibly important opportunity to develop, encourage, and inspire our laity to exciting and vital ministry in our local churches. The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church leaves no doubt as to the “priesthood of all believers”. Paragraph 134 in the Book of Discipline states, “The United Methodist tradition has recognized that laypersons as well as ordained persons are gifted and called by God to lead the Church”.
We encourage you to check out the resources here – you will see a lot is happening and we are excited to be a part of it all!
Ministry Service Opportunities
Lay Servant Ministries, Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers