On October 7-8, 2017, the Discipleship Academy will be held at Forest Memorial UMC. Classes will run from 9-5 on the 7th and 3-5:30 on the 8th.

You must attend all 10 hours of training to receive lay servant credit.

Registration deadline is Wednesday, October 4.

The cost is $35 and all registrants will have the option to purchase a boxed lunch for $10 on Saturday. All registrations will be online only. We cannot accommodate walk-in registrations.

The following classes and workshops will be offered:

• Basic Lay Servant
• Advanced Lay Servant ~ Just A Closer Walk With Thee
• Advanced Lay Servant ~ Dancing with Words: Lay Servant Tell Stories
• Advanced Lay Servant ~What Shall I Preach!

Academy schedule: Sat., October 7 (9 a.m.- 5 p.m.) and Sun., October 8 (3-5:30 p.m.)

Register online 

Courses

Basic Lay Servant | Rev. Herbert Brisbon
This basic course includes a study of what it means to be God’s called people and how we may be at work for God in our own communities. The guide for this course is practical, including checklists, outlines and step-by-step plans. Exercises draw on the individuals’ personal experiences and on what they know about their communities. The course provides learning opportunities in three areas of service for lay speakers: leading, caring and communicating. Please note that those registering for this class must read the text prior to the class (see link below).

Schedule: Part 1: Saturday, October 7 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Part 2: Sunday, October 8 (3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Required Text: Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participant's Book
ISBN # 9780881776263 • $7.50

INSTRUCTOR: Rev. Herbert Brisbon is a graduate of Wesley Theological Seminary. As an Ordained Elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference Herbert has served as lead and founding pastor of New Covenant Worship Center: A People of the United Methodist Church in Baltimore, MD; the United Methodist Chaplain and Director of the Wesley Foundation at Howard University in Washington DC; associate of the Ebenezer Circuit (Historic Ebenezer United Methodist, Capitol Hill United Methodist and Mt. Vernon United Methodist Churches) in Washington DC.   He currently serves as the pastor of Jerusalem-Mt. Pleasant in Rockville, MD. 

Herbert has a passion for the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the last, the least, the lost and the different. He loves teaching, preaching and shepherding the people of God.  He has two lifelong mottoes he lives by: first, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me;"  second, "Empowered to serve God's Kingdom, by any means necessary, that glorifies God without compromise."

Advanced Lay Servant: Just A Closer Walk with Thee: A Means to Social Justice | Rev. Dr. Brian Jackson
The course will explore some of the disciplines as a means of developing stronger relationships with God by humbling ourselves before God to gain a better understanding of what God is calling us individually and collectively to do.  Then, the conversation will shift to relative mercy and social justice issues using the Book of Resolutions to learn what United Methodists say about these issues.

Schedule: Part 1: Saturday, October 7 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Part 2: Sunday, October 8 (3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Primary Textbook (Required): The Streets to the Pulpit: Chapters 3, 5, 6, 7, & 11
2016 Book of Resolutions (borrow one from your local congregation)
Bibles

To purchase/obtain required text contact Rev. Brian Jackson at 240-256-0739 or  .

Instructor: The Rev. Dr. Brian Wade Jackson became the pastor of Randall Memorial United Methodist Church in Northeast Washington D.C., in July 2010. This is his fourth pastoral appointment in the Baltimore-Washington Conference. In 2009 he published his first book, From the Streets to the Pulpit, an autobiography in which he shares his poignant and powerful life story. The book is a testament of his journey, through trials, tribulation and triumph. Rev. Jackson’s personal mission is “To go wherever to reach the lost for Jesus at any cost.”

Advanced Lay Servant: Dancing with Words: Lay Servants Tell Stories | Rev. Erik Alsgaard
Learn what constitutes a good story, discover storytelling styles, experience techniques of effective storytelling, and practice creating stories from your experience.

Bring a small object to class about which you can tell a story… a story of what the object means to you, how you got it, why it’s important, etc. etc.

Schedule: Part 1: Saturday, October 7 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Part 2: Sunday, October 8 (3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Required Text: Dancing with Words; Ray Buckley; ISBN 9780881774078; $9.80 (Amazon)

Instructor: Rev. Erik Alsgaard is an Elder in The United Methodist Church and has been active in church communications since 1994. He has served churches in Michigan and Florida, as well as being Director of Communications in Florida, the Baltimore-Washington Conference, and for the General Board of Church and Society. It has been his calling in ministry to tell the stories of the people called United Methodist since graduating United Theological Seminary in 1986. He’s married to Sheila George, the Director of Communications for Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. They have two children, four grandsons, and one spoiled dog (Nanuk).

Advanced Lay Servant: What Shall I Preach? | Pastor Gerald Elston
This is an introductory course on preaching that will focus on sermon development and delivery. We will also briefly cover the history, theology and call of preaching. But, the emphasis of the course is on sermon preparation and presentation. Each student will be required to preach a 12 - 15 minute sermon.

Schedule: Part 1: Saturday, October 7 (9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.), Part 2: Sunday, October 8 (3:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Required Text(s): Go Preach!: A Primer for Beginning Preachers by Jack Gilbert (Amazon)
Bible

Instructor: Pastor Gerald L. Elston, Sr. is one of us. He grew up within blocks of Truesdell Education Campus. After being promoted from Barnard Elementary and Rabault Junior High School, he graduated as Class president and salutatorian in 1972 from Roosevelt Senior High School. He continued his studies in Washington, D.C., graduating from Georgetown University with a B.A degree in 1976 and from Georgetown University Law center with a J.D. degree in 1979.

After a 30-year career as a lawyer in the Federal Government, Pastor Elston retired in 2005 and pursued God’s call for him to be a preacher. He graduated from John Wesley Theological Seminary with a Masters in Divinity in 2009. His first appointment was as Pastor of Bells United Methodist Church, July, 2007. He is now pastor of two northwest churches, Brightwood Park since July, 2011 and Albright Memorial since November, 2014. He has a heart for people and a passion for preaching, teaching, singing, reviving the church as an intergenerational body and winning souls for Christ as a community presence. Pastor Elston has a deep concern for our youth and young adults, for the importance of education, and for the issues that face our community.

He is married to Jan, his high school sweetheart and they have two adult children and three grandsons. Pastor Elston is a Local Pastor and a certified candidate for ordained ministry in the Baltimore Washington Conference. He believes in you and believes that no matter where you start or where you are today, God has much more in store for you!

Advanced Lay Servant: Emotional Intelligence | Ms. Mary McCurty
Do you want to enhance your relationship and leadership effectiveness in your faith setting? The ability to effectively communicate and relate with others is referred to as “Emotional Intelligence.” It is our EQ (emotional quotient) as opposed to our IQ (intellectual quotient) that determines our ability to work in collaboration with others. In this workshop, you will first explore answers to the question, “Who Do I Say I Am?” Then learn how you can use self-awareness, empathy, assertiveness and optimism to relate to a diverse array of people, similar to the way Jesus did. By the end of this workshop, you will understand more about how the relationship lessons Jesus taught can enrich the success of your ministry.

Schedule: Part 1: Saturday, October 7 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.), Part 2: Sunday, October 8 (3 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.)

Required Text: The Emotional Intelligence of Jesus - Relational Smarts for Religious Leaders, Roy Oswald & Arland Jacobsen(Amazon)

Instructor: Mary G. McCurty, MS, OD & HR, Johns Hopkins University, is a native of Birmingham, AL. Her experience in OD (Organization Development) includes Training Manager at Verizon Communications, Inc., where she was responsible for design and delivery of leadership development for newly appointed managers, executive development programs, and culture change programs. As a self-employed Organization Development Consultant & Trainer, she collaborates with corporate and non-profit clients to create transformational processes for leadership development and organizational change. Mary currently serves as a Dean and Senior Trainer at The Center for Emotional Intelligence - training leaders in faith based communities.

She enjoys serving on the leadership teams of Colesville UMC as Chair of Finance and BWC Greater Washington District, as District Lay Leader. She attributes her success and joy as a facilitator to the power of love and grace, and to being a servant leader.