Lay Academy of Church Excellence

1. Lay Academy of Church Excellence Revised LACE Curriculum Conforming to new Basic Course Lay Speaking Ministries 2009 -12

2. Objectives • Revise Curriculum to conform to new Lay Speaking Ministries Basic Course Book • Teach each district the basic LACE curriculum • Teach each district the flexibility of LACE

3. Negative Growth • In last decade UMC lost members • UMC will cease to exist at current rate of loss • Eight of ten students who attend church during their teenage years will leave church by the time they are 16. Unchristian by Kinnaman and Lyons at page 142

4. What people under age 30 think about Christian Church • Hypocritical • Too focused on getting converts • Anti-homosexual

5. What People think about Christian Church—cont. • Sheltered • Too political • Judgmental • Unchristian by Kinnaman & Lyons, 2009

6. Our Existence is Threatened • We must seek and apply new ways to reverse the way people see us • We can no longer afford to conduct • business as usual in the church • But, we must not comprise the central • message of Jesus Christ

7. These Conditions Require us to be: • Deliberate • Creative • Risk takers

8. Paradigm of Christ • As Christians, we should pursue both goals: • Purity & • Proximity— • living in a way that honors God, but doing • so in a way that can influence outsiders. • Unchristian by Kinnaman & Lyons, page 133 (2009)

9. Mission Statement The mission of LACE is to provide an integrated program to educate, energize, and empower lay people in each United Methodist local church to become faithful disciples and effective leaders who create vital congregations for the transformation of the world. LACE accomplishes this mission by assisting faithful disciples to identify, develop, and enhance their spiritual gifts leading them into leadership roles in diversified fields of ministry.

10. Revised Curriculum • General Conference actions changed • lay speaking and new curriculum was • developed • Old handbook—11 lessons • New handbook—5 lessons • New organization

11. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Both books require 10 hours • of instruction • And ministry presentation

12. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Total of twenty-five (25) hours of instruction • First 10 hours specific to Lay Speaking • Remaining 15 specific to developing • leaders in the church • Each day of classes has 5 hours

13. Revised Curriculum—Cont. New Lay Speaking book includes: Ministry of the Baptized Leading Caring Communicating Into the World

14. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • First 10 hours devoted to Lay Speaking • Participant may obtain only Lay Speaking • credential • Participant may continue studies and pursue • leadership in the church classes

15. Revised Curriculum—Cont. Remaining 15 hours include: Leadership Leadership Our Methodist Heritage Conflict Management in the Church Baptism & Communion in the UMC

16. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Church Organization • Duties of Church Officers • Conducting Administrative Council • /Board meetings • Stewardship • Kentucky Conference Resources

17. Revised Curriculum-Cont. • Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations • Myers-Briggs Personality Spirituality • inventory • 13. Worship Modalities • 14. Wrap-up, DS Comments, and Holy • Communion

18. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Board of Lay Ministry desires that: • Recommended subjects are taught, but • district has flexibility to change • text as long as it covers the subject • Logistical Support such as lunch, times, • duration of classes, can be altered • to meet needs of district • Classes can be emphasized to meet needs of district

19. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Flexibility—Order of Presentation • Flexibility—Selected texts • Flexibility—Feeding the Students • Flexibility—Paying for books

20. Revised Curriculum—Cont. • Ministry presentations (15 min. for Lay • speaking) can be accomplished anytime • after first 10 hours of instruction. • Be flexible in creating times for • students to do ministry presentations.

21. Logistical Support for LACE • Twenty-five hours of instruction • District has discretion in configuration • Suggested—Five days of five one-hour • sessions.

22. Logistical Support for LACE—Cont. • Classes taught in five different churches • throughout district. • Textbooks • Books not provided by Conference • Only one copy per district available for • instructors • 3. Ask students to purchase at least two books

23. Logistical Support for LACE—Cont. • Host church provides lunch • Ask participants to provide love offering • Instructors selected by District Lay Speaking Ministry team or LS Coordinator/Lay Leader/DS • Instructors—district ministers, laity, • and outside instructors consistent with funds

24. Logistical Support for LACE—Cont. • LSM district coordinator certifies completed • requirements for Lay Speaking Course • Graduates use new skills to strengthen local • church • District may substitute any one session for • selected subject needed in district

25. Logistical Support for LACE—Cont. • Attendance Policy: Attend 4 of 5 days to • receive LACE certificate • Meet all requirements of Lay Speaking • to receive certificate of completion • Must attend first and last day

26. Logistical Support for LACE—Cont. • LACE graduates receive recognition on • floor at Kentucky Annual Conference • Evaluations given to students to help • plan improvements