Go Tell It IN the Mountains and Faith+Lead connection!

By Director John Kratz

 

Often, time and money are perceived barriers to following God’s call for us. After overcoming our own insecurities, questions, or stubbornness, we can have time and financial concerns weigh on our hearts. I remember when first entering ministry a family member asking, “How will you feed your family?” They feared the financial component of such a call to ordained ministry.

 

The Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative is pleased to announce a cooperative arrangement with Faith+Lead of Luther Seminary. This mutually beneficial arrangement now allows ALL our Authorized Lay Worship Leaders and Synod Appointed Ministers to take online courses for FREE. The required 10 courses for new ALWL/SAM’s are within the Go Tell It IN the Mountains Faith+Lead site, as well as multiple (and growing) opportunities for continuing education for all existing ALWL/SAM’s. Thus, the finance issue is resolved!

 

Now, what about time constraints? Our laity have “real jobs” and are often not free to attend classes on other peoples’ or institutions’ schedules. That too is resolved! All the courses may be taken at the timeframe and duration that fits the laity’s schedule. It is formatted that all 10 courses may be done within one year and done with the desired order of the lay person. Yet, longer and shorter times could be used to complete the set of 10. It is truly up to the lay person’s schedule and faithfulness to her/his call.

 

Authorized Lay Ministry is an essential component of our congregational life and new reality in our region. We are genuinely blessed to have this Faith+Lead resource from Luther Seminary. We are doubly blessed to have the finances of Go Tell It IN the Mountains Initiative to make this resource free to all our Authorized Lay Ministers.

 

If you are ruminating on a call to preach, either as a component of your lay ministry, or as a call to full time clergy ministry, please contact your Synod Office (office@alleghenysynod.com or 814-942-1042) to connect with the resources available to help you fulfill that call.