Leaders trained for streamlined Partners in Ministry sessions
More than 40 Southwest Texas Conference leaders—both clergy and laity—learned Oct. 2 in San Antonio how to facilitate a new version of Partners in Ministry training.
The Partners in Ministry committee of the Board of Laity developed the “one-day-plus” training to enable more congregations to benefit from the leadership-development experience, said Nell Martin, conference PIM coordinator.
“Many of our congregations have gone through the (original) two-and-half-day training,” she said during the daylong training session at University UMC, San Antonio. “Many have done it more than once. But many others have said they couldn’t make that much of a time commitment.”
The streamlined version—designed for a Friday evening and all-day Saturday presentation—covers key concepts contained in the original 20-hour session, Martin said. But the shorter schedule doesn’t include all the original hands-on exercises.
Developed by the Rev. Roy Trueblood, the eight-module Partners in Ministry program shows clergy and laity in a congregation how to work as a ministry team. Activities are designed to:
+ Build teamwork and collaboration.
+ Improve communication.
+ Foster win-win problem solving.
+ Teach caring, constructive confrontation.
+ Encourage trust, credibility, responsibility and accountability.
+ Allow visioning for the future.
Trueblood originally devised the training program for industry. He transformed it for use in The United Methodist Church in 1992. The Southwest Texas Conference was one of the early adopters.
Partners in Ministry has been a Board of Laity offering for more than 12 years, Martin said.
For information about Partners in Ministry training contact Martin at nelway@satx.rr.com or (830) 379-1405.