16 complete district lay speaker training

Sixteen United Methodists in the McAllen District took part in lay speaker training Feb. 25 and 26 at St. Mark UMC, McAllen.
Seven completed the five-part basic course:
Linda Jewell, Denny Jewell, Berta Esparza, Pam Swartz, Bonnie Cherrington, Miguel Ahumada and Rob Stansell.
Instructors for the five parts of the course were certified lay speakers Skip Timmer, Bruce Girton, Ed Bormann, Larry Mathis and Gordon Plunkett.
Having completed the instruction, the new lay speakers may now preach and serve in their local churches.
The Rev. Steve Clinton, First UMC, Weslaco, led the advanced course, “Lay Speakers as Servant Leaders.” The class consisted of nine people:
Dorris Tweed, Carl Korges, Carolyn Adams, Bill Briggs, Bill Hudson, Larry Mathis, Jason Barrera, Dorothy Conley and Ed Bormann.
They are now certified lay speakers and may serve in ministry beyond their local churches.