UMs explore faith questions at Laity School of Theology

50 church members
attend 2-day session
planned by laity board

By Julie A. Wiley
Staff Writer
More than 50 laypeople from across Southwest Texas explored theological questions about discernment and discipleship last week in San Antonio.
They took classes during the Laity School of Theology sponsored by the Board of Laity April 16-17 at University UMC, San Antonio.
Professors from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology taught the classes.
The Rev. Frederick W. Schmidt, associate professor of Christian spirituality, examined “Finding and Doing the Will of God: Rediscovering the Practice of Discernment.”
The Rev. Alyce McKenzie, assistant professor of homiletics, covered “Following Jesus: Discipleship in the Gospel of Matthew.”
“It’s a great opportunity for laypeople to be able to experience what it’s like to be part of classes that their pastors have taken or future pastors will take while in seminary,” said George White, Victoria District Lay Leader.
Classes ran from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. April 16 and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 17.
Conference Lay Leader Carol Loeb said the school, the second sponsored by the Board of Laity, was a great way for church members to learn more about faith and theology.
“It’s worth driving from Corpus Christi,” said Loeb, a member of Asbury UMC, Corpus Christi. “It’s been an incredible opportunity to learn and deepen our faith.
“These professors have really challenged us to think about how our faith is shaped. It’s a real gift to the laity of our conference.”
Jenny Tucker, a member of Lutie Watkins Memorial UMC, Llano, called the Laity School of Theology “a great opportunity to dive more deeply into spiritual questions and issues.”
George Ford, a member of University UMC, San Antonio, agreed.
“It’s an opportunity to deepen our faith with the backdrop of a scholar to share and refine my own thinking,” he said. “Our own paradigms can be faulty unless filtered and refined by those more wise than ourselves.”
White credited Loeb with bringing the Laity School of Theology to San Antonio.
“It was her vision,” White said. “She was the driving force behind it.”
The first Laity School of Theology session in San Antonio was in April 2002.