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BY LINDA WORTHINGTON
UMCONNECTION STAFF

The first of two half-days of church leadership training for laity takes place this month.

For years, thousands of church members and clergy braved the cold and sometimes snow on a January or February Saturday morning, to attend Leadership Training Days. This year with the conference reorganized into regions and the Discipleship Adventure set in motion, the popular training event has evolved as well.

Plans are underway for a Discipleship Academy in the fall, which will provide laity with some of the kinds of classes that were offered at last year?s Leadership Days. But before then, as new officers take up their positions in local churches, several 'mini-leadership days' are being offered.

Responding to requests for training, classes are being offered, particularly for leaders in staff-parish relations and finance. In addition, the conference is offering classes for leaders of trustees, administrative and church councils and worship committees. Basic information and training will also cover conflict management, spiritual gifts assessment and the Discipleship Adventure.

District superintendents and conference staff will teach most of the classes.

The Baltimore and Washington regions will meet simultaneously for a half-day of training Saturday, March 17, in two convenient locations. The Western and Annapolis Southern regions will hold the same workshops a month later, simultaneously on Saturday, April 21. All four events will begin with registration and sign-in at 8:30 a.m. and will offer a light breakfast.Participants will gather for worship at 9 a.m., which will include a 15-minute video presentation by Bishop John R. Schol.

After the worship service, at 9:45 a.m., the first workshops will begin. During the first period, classes in finance, worship, staff-parish relations and the Discipleship Adventure will be offered. The second period, beginning at 11:15 a.m., will include classes on trustees, spiritual gifts, conflict management and church councils. All participants will have the opportunity to take two classes, one during each of the two workshop periods.

The morning events will close at 12:30 p.m., as workshops wrap up.

To register, which must be done online, go to www.bwcumc.org. All registrations are $10, which may be paid online or mailed. Because of limited space, there will be no walk-in registrations.

SIDEBAR:

March 17
? Baltimore Region at Catonsville UMC, 6 Melvin Ave., Catonsville.
? Washington Region at Woodside UMC, 8900 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring.

April 21
? Annapolis Southern Region at Calvary UMC, 301 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis.
? Western Region at Otterbein UMC, 108 E. Franklin St., Hagerstown.

For more information, contact Michell Savoy at