Lay Speaking Ministries

Lay Speakers care, lead, and communicate, they encourage, equip,
and support others for deeper commitment to Christ and to faithful discipleship.

 

LOCAL CHURCH LAY SPEAKERS . . . serve in and through their local churches.  To be recognized as local church lay speakers, persons must be recommended by their pastor and Church Council or Charge Conference, and complete the basic course for lay speaking. Each year they must reapply, reporting how they haveserved and continued to learn during that year.

CERTIFIED LAY SPEAKERS . . . serve in their own churches, in other churches,and through district or conference projects and programs.  To be recognized as certified lay speakers, they must be recommended by their pastor and Church Council or Charge Conference, complete the basic course and one advanced lay speaking course, and be interviewed by the District or Conference Committee on Lay Speaking. They must report and reapply annually; and they must complete at least one advanced course every three years.

Tennessee Annual Conference Director of Lay Speaking

Gloria Watts-Jones
517 Tinsley Lane • Columbia, TN 38401
(H) 931-388-1098 • (C) 931-209-6510 • E-Mail: watt7@msn.com

TN DISTRICT DIRECTORS OF LSM:

TN Conf. Assoc. Director:          Betty Jo Forkner, 797 Rolling Acres Rd.,

                                                 Smithville, TN 37166

                                                 hforkner@dtccom.net 615-597-6878 h    615-418-6464 c
 
Pulaski District Director:           Elizabeth Eubanks, 819 Douglas Drive,

                                                 Lawrenceburg, TN 38464

                                                 ekayeubanks@aol.com 931-766-9275 h   931-629-6369 c
 
Clarksville District Director:      Bruce Myers, 1777 Old Russellville Pike,

                                                Clarksville, TN 37043

                                                myersb@apsu.edu   931-206-2562
 
Columbia District Director:       Rex Thigpen, 1027 Valley Forge Drive,

                                                Arrington, TN 37014

                                                thigpen@comcast.net   615-579-5252
 
Cookeville District Director:     Holly Neal, 28 Hampton Square, Crossville, TN 38555

                                                hneal56@yahoo.com   931-265-0824
   
Nashville District Director:       Mary T Newman, P O Box 4, Ashland City, TN 37015

                                               mtnewman@tnumc.org  615-329-1177
 
Murfreesboro District Director: Ann Benson, 605 Gardenia Way,

                                                Murfreesboro, TN 37130

                                                asbenson3@comcast.net   615-849-8075
 
Cumberland District Director:  John Jankowich, 1903 Summerlake Dr.,

                                               Mt. Juliet, TN 37122

                                               John.Jankowich@crackerbarrel.com  615-754-2902
 
  

Resources

Check Upcoming Events for The Schedule of all District Training Events

March 13 and 14     Pulaski District Lay Speaking School at Coleman UMC

March 13 & 20        Clarksville District Lay Speaking School at Salem UMC

                                    Basic and Advanced>Lead Small Groups and Lay Speakers are Servant Leaders

                                    Celena Spiva 931-553-8401 or Bruce Myers 931-645-8458

April 16 &17            Columbia District Lay Speaking School at Riverside UMC

                                    Basic and Advance>Lay Pastoral Care Giving

                                    Martha Woody 931-381-9558 

                                    Rex Thigpen    615-579-5252

                                    Dawn Yelverton  931-381-0765

April 30 & May 1 Cookeville District Lay Speaking Schools

                                    Livingston 1st      Basic

                                    Advanced>           Lead in Evangelism, Discover Spiritual Gifts, Lead Small Groups

June 25 & 26           New Union UMC (Warren County)

                                    Basic and Advanced>Lead in Bible Study

August 27 & 28       Cookeville FUMC

                                    Basic and Advance>Go Preach and Grow Spiritually Through Daily Discipline in 

                                    the Wesleyan Tradition

November 19 & 20 CONFERENCE WIDE Youth Lay Speaking Retreat

                                    Beersheba Springs Assembly

Contacts:  Holly Neal  931-265-0824  hneal56@yahoo.com

                     Ann Benson  615-849-8075  asbenson3@comcast.net