29 complete basic, advanced
lay speaker training

Twenty-nine people completed lay speaker training April 28-29 at Trinity UMC, McAllen.
Fifteen students completed the basic class:
Bonnie Chambers, Donna UMC; Paula Cheever, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Susie Crews, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Joy Delham, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Patsy Diaz, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Nancy Franz, First UMC, Port Isabel; Nellie Gonzalez, Lyford UMC; Patti Koo, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Elvia Martinez, First UMC, San Benito; Irene Martinez, First UMC, San Benito; Debbie Miller, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Karen Stevens-Minor, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Douglas Timmer, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Dina Wilson, Trinity UMC, McAllen; and Ken Wilson, Trinity UMC, McAllen.
As local church lay speakers, they can serve in teaching, leadership and witnessing in their own churches.
Fourteen completed advanced training:
Merle and Mert Bishop, St Mark’s UMC, McAllen; Diane Bleibdrey, Trinity UMC, McAllen; Leo Carrasco, Wesley UMC, Harlingen; Bonnie Cherrington, Los Fresnos UMC; Dorothy Conley, First UMC, Harlingen; Chris Cowan, First UMC, Edinburg; Dennis and Linda Jewell, First UMC, San Benito; Ande Leatherman and Larry Mathis, First UMC, Mission; Joe Melson, San Juan UMC; and Janet and Skip Timmer, Trinity UMC, McAllen.
Ann Stewart, Pharr UMC, and Carole Lahti, First UMC, Edinburg, not only took the class but coordinated it by persuading their ministers, Robert Clark and the Rev. Steven Sweet, to teach the “Lay Speakers are Preachers” class.
The Lay Speaking Committee would like to thank all of those who taught either the basic or advanced classes. Additional thanks and blessing go to the Rev. Janet Fluth of Trinity UMC, McAllen, for recruiting so many students and providing the facilities of her church.
If you are interested in lay speaking ministry, watch for information in the Witness, or contact your church pastor about the training to be offered in late summer or early fall.
For more information contact Donald Lantz at dlantz@swbell.net or (956) 423-8319.