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BY CHRISTINE KUMAR
UMCONNECTION STAFF

Eight churches in the Baltimore-Washington Conference opened their doors Saturday morning to invite spiritual leaders to roll up their sleeves and do God's work.

More than 270 spiritual leaders attended the first kick-off session and classes of the Discipleship Academy Sept. 27.

"It's been a long time since I have answered God's calling, but I am here to serve," said Fredia Tatum, member of Franklin P. Nash UMC in Washington.

Tatum attended the first of the six Certified Lay Ministry classes that is offered at neighboring McKendree-Simms-Brookland UMC.

The Rev. Helen Fleming, project leader for the Academy, and the Rev. Edgardo Rivera, an Adventure Guide in the Washington region, welcomed and led nearly 80 leaders in song and worship at McKendree-Simms-Brookland UMC.

Bishop John R. Schol greeted the participants during the plenary session via a DVD presentation. He spoke of great people and greatness in the world. "Each of you has the possibility of living a great life in your church, community and around the world," he said. "Greatness is being a great servant; all of us can live a great discipleship life."

In order to live an outstanding spiritual life, the bishop encouraged the leaders to lift others up and focus on God. "Greatness is defined in what you do for Jesus," he said. "It's not standing in the church on Sunday morning."

"It's a joy to be here this morning and see your faces, we are sure you will grow immensely," said the Rev. Louis Shockley, dean of the Academy and pastor of Asbury UMC in Washington.

The Rev. David Argo, superintendent of the Washington Metropolitan District, encouraged the leaders to stretch deeper and wider in their faith. "Disciples are made in communities of faith," he said. "They are made in local congregations and our job as a conference is to equip congregations to be effective disciple makers."

Argo stressed that regional Adventure Guides of the Baltimore-Washington Conference will work with local congregations so that spiritual leaders will be able to network with the conference staff and with one another.

Hazel Franklin, member for 50 years at Douglas Memorial UMC in Washington, D.C., wants to continue to embrace the pouring of the Holy Spirit in her life. She is learning more about God and herself in the Christian Formation class she is taking at McKendree-Simms-Brookland.

"The class is a spiritual awakening to me," she said. "It opens one's spiritual brain cells to explore and reflect on areas that one never thought of before."

Franklin said she enjoys the small group setting that the class offers. "It's amazing how different groups have different perspectives when we have discussions on the questions that are being asked."

In this first semester of the Academy, 150 people are becoming Certified Lay Ministers and an additional 75 are taking spiritual leadership classes.

The classes being offered cover such topics as challenges for the church, stewardship, spiritual leadership, and faith-sharing.

Conference Lay Leader Delores Oden, was disappointed initially that more people did not sign up for the pilot of the Academy, but is confident that more leaders will take advantage of this opportunity to grow spiritually when classes are offered again, beginning Feb. 7, 2009.

"This desire to grow and be leaders within their communities became apparent to me during the past year in planning the Discipleship Academy. There is thirst among the people in our pews and pulpits to broaden their understandings and gifts they bring to their churches," she said.

For more information on the Discipleship Academy, visit the conference Web site at www.bwcumc.org.