Training Opportunities for Laity

Equip & Connect 2024 (Formerly the Winter Leadership Training)

The Western North Carolina Conference Equip & Connect Conference (January 21-25, 2024) is designed for and open to all local church leaders including lay leaders, council members, volunteers, and all who lead (or are considering future leadership!). This is an opportunity to connect with other leaders across the conference and learn about roles, best practices, and new ideas for ministry.

Lay Servant Ministries Training

The United Methodist Church has established three categories for laypersons in the area of lay servant ministries to discover, develop, and deploy principled Christian leaders for the mission of making disciples for the transformation of the world: Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay Speaker, and Certified Lay Minister.

These laypersons are called to live out their own discipleship as servants in leadership through the ministries of leading, caring, and communicating. Being called to ministry is a serious endeavor. It takes a disciple to make a disciple. Thus we must do all we can to prepare ourselves and others to serve. Learn more about becoming a Certified Lay Servant in the Western North Carolina Conference.