Skip to Main Content

Prairie South Lay Academy Fall 2025

Location: Rochelle UMC, 709 4th Ave., Rochelle

2025 Fall Lay Academy Ps Banner

Saturdays, Oct. 11 and 18
8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

All class times must be attended to receive course credit.

Rochelle UMC
709 4th Ave., Rochelle

Online registration 

Cost: $40

Cost includes lunch
Youth may register at no cost if they have an adult accompanying them

All books may be purchased at your favorite bookseller.

Classes:

  1. Basic Course: This course is foundational for all courses in Lay Servant Ministries. Participants are encouraged to consider the importance of servant leadership, developing future leaders and remaining rooted in consistent spiritual practices.
    Instructor: Raleigh Shifflette, CLM
    Book: Lay Servant Ministries Basic Course Participant's Guide by Sandy Zeigler Jackson & Brian Jackson.
  2. Leading in Worship: This course focuses on lay servants who regularly or occasionally lead in worship.
    Instructor: Dennis Yocum, DSS
    Book: Worshiping with United Methodists (revised) by Hoyt Hickman
  3. Lay Servants Lead in Conflict Resolution: Every church deals with conflict, both healthy and unhealthy, and lay servants can be equipped and empowered to help lead through those times of conflict as a time of transformation.
    Instructor: William Dunfrund, CLM
    Book: The Spirit and Art of Conflict Transformation by Thomas Porter
  4. From Your Heart to Theirs: Delivering an Effective Sermon (first time offered in Prairie South): Moving beyond the basics of public speaking and the foundations necessary for preparing an engaging sermon, this course also includes types of sermons—from exegetical to topical to children’s sermons—as well as how to find a story, how to use the hymnal, and how to move from communication on paper to beyond the paper.
    Instructors: Clifford Peddicord, CLS and Marcia Peddicord, CLM/CCM
    Book: From Your Heart to Theirs: Delivering an Effective Sermon by Tony Franks and David Carroll

For information, contact Pastor Marcia Peddicord, Director, via email or call 815-579-5938.

News & Announcements

We Are Hiring Image

Staff Changes in the Northern Illinois Conference

A handful of staff members are voluntarily leaving their roles. As the conference bids them farewell, it is seeking applicants for the positions now available.

Nic Collections End July 2024 Cmyk

Have you made your contribution?

In an effort to be more transparent, the Finance and Administration office is going to be consistently sharing where we are as a conference are in regards to the giving versus what is needed fo…

Ecumenical Prayer Service Art

Ecumenism Metro Chicago to Mark International Day of Peace

“Blessed Are the Peacemakers,” an ecumenical prayer service, will gather Christians from different traditions in a common act of prayer on Sept. 30, in solidarity with…

Marvaandvictoria Cr

Marva Andrews and Rev. Victoria Rebeck to Retire from the NIC 

Two Northern Illinois Conference staff members are preparing to retire: Marva Andrews, executive assistant to the bishop (Oct. 15), and Rev. Victoria Rebeck, dire…

Print