Quick Info:
Number of weeks: 2
Price: $50
CEUs: 1.0
Required books?: Yes
Live video session?: No
Part of a certification or series of courses?: No
In our world, in our nation, in our neighborhoods, in our schools and businesses, even in our congregations, there is too much fear. The bruising political climate we live in is only the most obvious expression of it. What can we do, as followers of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, to encourage safety and peace in our own locations, beginning with our own hearts?
This short course is a beginning, considering Jesus’ call to love, not fear, not tolerate, but love Others, because Jesus has loved us. It is a journey that is very relevant to today’s world.
Required Materials: Participants must purchase the excellent new book, Fear of the Other: No Fear in Love by Bishop William H. Willimon, which is not included in the course fee.
This new course is currently under consideration by Discipleship Ministries to be an official Lay Servant Ministries advanced course. In the meantime, conferences and districts may choose to recognize this class for LSM credit apart from Discipleship Ministries. Ask your district Lay Academy director about this possibility.
This course is eligible for 1.0 CEU.
Price: $50
About the Instructor
Beth Galbreath is a United Methodist deacon whose specialty is “digital culture ministry,” which includes everything the Church needs to do to move from the print-literate culture of the last five centuries to the digital-communication culture of the 21st. She is one of the few (but proud!) graduates of the former Lumicon Institute’s certification program in digital culture ministry. “Digital culture ministry” is not just about technology; it includes re-emphasis on spiritual formation practices. To that end she holds a master’s from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in spiritual formation and evangelism. She loves to bring a multimedia, multi-intelligence approach to classes.
Digital culture ministry is also about ancient-future worship arts and education styles, especially an emphasis on story; to that end she is a passionate biblical storyteller and teacher. She is an ambassador of the Network of Biblical Storytellers International and coordinates the NBSI-related Chicago-area Prairie Wind Guild: Tellers of Sacred Stories. She’s taught biblical storytelling abroad in Cameroon, Bolivia, Haiti and the Philippines.
Beth serves the Northern Illinois Conference as co-chair of its Order of Deacons, and is a certified Natural Church Development coach. She also serves on the pastoral leadership team of Compassion UMC in Brookfield, IL, a new church plant. Her ministry includes consulting, teaching, and small group leadership. She is also an activist for solar energy, prison ministry, interfaith understanding, and eco-sustainability. Rev. Galbreath is the author of The Story and the Feast, a digital resource (three CDs of text and slides) of liturgy for Holy Communion, connected to the weekly stories and texts of the lectionary, and including notes for biblical storytellers.
