Leading with class
| Following the Plan
"Recruit, assess, equip, and send Spiritual Leaders"—goal of the Strategic Plan for the Oklahoma Annual Conference Clever class titles appeal to Oklahoma United Methodists to attend the annual Local Church Leaders Workshops. "We Believe WHAT?" "State of the Child in Oklahoma" "What the Bible REALLY Says About Women in Ministry" "Cover Your Assets" (church finances in a difficult economy) "Mixing Faith and Politics" "How Appointments Are Made" "Judaism, Christianity, Islam—and Peace" Beyond such titles, class participants will gain insights from well-prepared leaders, receive extensive resource materials, and find opportunities to share ideas with people from other churches. Participants affirm the value of the workshops by returning, year after year. The districts’ training sessions, in 11 locations across the state, begin Jan. 15 and extend into March. Bishop Hayes will personally attend eight of the sessions. Churches’ officers and all others seeking to enrich their leadership skills and their lives are encouraged to take part. Special features Although some classes are universally offered, some workshop features are specific to a district. "Dine with Bishop Hayes," in four venues, is planned in Stillwater. That district also will have a children’s celebration and youth rally, parallel to the adult classes. A youth rally will be part of the Muskogee District event, too, in Wagoner. Special offerings will be received for Muskogee District’s summer youth camp and, in Clinton District, for the Reydon Mission, assisting Oklahoma State Reformatory inmates with college study. And lay nominees from the two Oklahoma City districts will be chosen, after the workshop concludes, as potential delegates to the 2012 General and Jurisdictional Conferences. ‘New Christians’ emphasis "Prunes or Peaches" is one of several classes offered as part of the "New Christians" emphasis by the Discipleship Ministry Team’s evangelism task force. Also among these classes are "Welcoming Churches," "Who, Me, Evangelism?" and "Belong: Changing Visitors into Friends and Family," also "Building a Young Adult Ministry from the Ground Up." Teachers include Jim Hollifield, Bob Johns, Frank Denney, and Randy Scraper. Board of Laity classes The Board of Laity will offer two classes in all the districts.
The Local Church Leaders Workshops are coordinated by Aly Shahan. (www.okumc.org/LCLW) "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Matthew 9: 37-38
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