Skip to Main Content

Fall 2023 Prairie North District Lay Academy

Location: Rockford: Beth Eden UMC, 3201 Huffman Blvd, Rockford

2023 Fall Prairie North Lay Academy Banner

Saturday, October 28  (8 am to 5 pm) and Sunday, October 29 (1 to 4:30 pm)

Rockford: Beth Eden UMC, 3201 Huffman Blvd, Rockford

Cost $25

Box lunch (Saturday only), snacks, water and coffee will be provided.

Online Registration

Class Options: (one course per academy)

  • Discover Your Spiritual Gifts: This course helps participants understand spiritual gifts and how the church can use them to fulfill its mission and ministry. Participants will also learn what it means to be a spiritual leader and will be equipped to lead others in exploring and using their spiritual gifts.
    Book: Each One a Minister by William J. Carter
  • Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition: Structured around Wesley’s “means of grace,” this study covers, among other topics, prayer, Scripture, the Lord’s Supper, and fasting – major features in John Wesley’s devotional life. Participants will learn how they can apply Wesley’s ministry to their own life.
    Book: Devotional Life in the Wesleyan Tradition: a workbook by Steve Harper
  • Planning Worship: This builds on Leading Worship, and it is grounded in the principles and practices of worship planning.
    Book: The Worship Workshop, Creative Ways to Design Worship Together by Marcia McFee
  • Accountable Discipleship: This course focuses on the concept of the household of God, Scripture as divine revelation, Wesleyan understandings of grace, and the importance of the class leader in the development of the Methodist movement.
    Book: Accountable Discipleship by Steven W. Manskar

All books may be purchased at your favorite bookseller.
All class times must be attended to receive course credit.

QUESTIONS? Kim Emery - kkim0104@aol.com

Download the Flyer

Online Registration

News & Announcements

Jeanygewinfabiolagrandonmayer 2

A Promise to Mom: Reflections of an Annual Conference Session Member

Jeany Gewin has served as an Annual Conference lay member for over 20 years. She explains why she is following in her mother's footsteps and advocating for t…

Laborer 2 Pexels Justyn Abacajan 988605963 29768245

Methodism and May Day: Intertwined in History

May Day, May 1, is internationally recognized as a day to lift up voices in the struggle for labor rights. Born with John Wesley’s care for coal miners and oppressed workers, Unite…

Newspaper Hands Cmyk

Last Words from the NIC Reporter

The Northern Illinois Conference has decided to discontinue The NIC Reporter. Survey feedback, declining readership, and budget constraints made it necessary to shift resources toward more wid…

Groupphotohindutemple Cmyk

NIC Youth Learn Who Are Their Neighbors of Other Faiths

About 40 youth and adults from across Northern Illinois took part in the “Who Is My Neighbor?” interfaith bus tour on April 18, visiting several places of worship in the…

Print