People in the Pew Courses

State Coordinator (Dean)

Rev. James Lufkin

PO Box 1

Bowdoin, ME 04287

Tel. 207-353-6030

email: revjll@comcast.net

 

A new effort is taking place in AIM to reach the educational needs of laity and church leaders as well as pastors.

 

Laity-in-the-Pew Courses

Purpose:  Laity-in-the-Pew courses are offered as tools to assist in the training and equipping of laity within the local church for church leadership, personal Biblical and spiritual enrichment, and discipleship development.

Goals:  The immediate goal is to begin offering a few courses in as many LTD’s as possible and then to expand to offering a basic cycle of courses in local church leadership. Other courses would be offered as interest in particular courses is expressed.

Oversight: The laity courses that are to be offered will carry the name of AIM and will be promoted and approved by AIM so that we assure the continued quality of courses

Course format: Each course schedule and format shall be designed to fit the content of the course and needs of the students. Courses may be offered on a weekly schedule, or offered as workshops, etc.  The length of the course may also vary but will be of such length as to provide a course of suitable and useable content.

Cost of courses: The cost of the course would be based on the length of time in class. (A 5 hour seminar might be $15.00 per participant.)

Instructors:  Instructors are selected on their familiarity and qualification in the area of study. This again is to the quality of the courses.

Open courses: These courses shall be open to ABC churches and churches of other denominations with the understanding that the content of the courses reflect our ABC faith, polity, and experience. 

Some courses that have already been suggested

1)      Work of the Deacons

2)      Bible Courses – More in-depth courses than  may be offered in the local church

3)      Mission Advocates

4)      Computers in Church Ministry – Record keeping, Web sites, Newsletters, etc.

5)      Role of Pastoral Relations Committees

6)      Music and Worship

7)      How to do church report forms

8)      Fund raising in the local church – Capital improvements

9)      Lay speaking

10)   Christian Education: Teacher training, curriculum selection and use

 

Upcoming Courses

Computers and Publications in Ministry - November 6, 2010 - First Baptist Church of Gardiner, Gardiner, Maine.

More details and a brochure will be available.