Board of Laity

The Board of Laity is committed to developing the concept of the Laos as a call to specifically enable lay persons to be in mission and ministry in all aspects of life.  The overall approach is to be Partners in Ministry as we function in the three divisions of:

 

·         Retreats and Conferences which encourages personal and corporate spiritual growth for all laity (men, women, youth and children) through participation in events beyond the local church such as the Laity Spiritual Life Retreat held each year in April at the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center in Blackstone.  A retreat experience for children, ages 5-11, who must be accompanied by their parents/guardian or grandparents, is offered along with the adult retreat. The Spiritual Life Retreat is open to everyone.  Come with an attitude of prayer and expectation; great things will happen!

 

·         Lay Life and Ministry which has three program areas.  (1) Leadership Training creates channels to reach lay persons in leadership roles and develops opportunities for potential leaders to experience training in various facets of church ministry.  One skill building for leaders is Partners in Ministry training which emphasizes pastors and lay leadership working together.  Watch for information on some new training opportunities for new, emerging leaders.  (2) The Scouting area steps beyond the normal understanding of scouting to see this ministry as a local church outreach to the children and youth of this conference. For more information about scouting, select the “Scouting” link to the left.  (3) The Lay Speaking Ministries continue to grow. Committed lay persons who have become either local church or certified lay speakers are finding a myriad of ways to serve Christ -- in care facilities, as teachers and instructors, mentors and youth coordinators, and more. For more information about Lay Speaking Ministries, select the “Lay Speaking Ministries” link to the left.

 

·         Stewardship which encourages churches to look at stewardship as more than money.  In “Components of a Wesleyan Stewardship,” Bishop Kenneth L. Carder says that “Christian stewardship is our vocation to share in God’s mission of compassion, generosity, and justice.  Christian Stewardship is an expression of love for God and neighbor, a necessary component of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, and integral to the church’s preaching and teaching.” In that regard, this division seeks to assist local churches in educating their congregations about the importance of holistic stewardship programs.  This division seeks feedback on stewardship needs in the local church and attempts to provide education to meet identified needs.  A resource booklet, “Stewardship and Capital Campaign Resources, Programs, and Packages,” has been developed and is updated as needed. The booklet can be downloaded in Word or pdf by clicking on the links on the left side of this page.  Resource people are also available to come to the local church or district to assist the church with stewardship programs.