Lay Studies Course "Ministry to Individuals" Begins September 16th
The Living Waters Association's Lay Studies Team is planning to offer a Lay Studies Course this fall. The course is titled "Ministry to Individuals," and will be taught by Pastor Dennis Christiansen (Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Trumansburg). "Ministry to Individuals" is a course that covers ministries of caring in the local church, ministries like visitation, hospital ministry, caregiving ministries, ministry with the elderly, ministry with the bereaved, and so forth. This course may help those who serve as Deacons, those who work with various support groups, or those who serve in visitation programs to minister more effectively. It can help lay people develop local church leadership skills and even prepare students eventually to become certified lay ministers. On the other hand, some people simply take lay studies courses for personal enrichment.
The course will be taught at the old parsonage of the Odessa Baptist Church on Thursday evenings, from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The setting is comfortable and informal. The course will begin on September 16th and run through November 18th. The cost is $60.00 to take the course for credit in the ABCNYS Lay Studies Program, or $30.00 to audit. If two or more family members take the course for credit there is a $15.00 discount per person. A limited amount of scholarship assistance is available through the Living Waters Association. Please contact Pastor Spencer at 594-2800; Pastor Norton, Jr., at 535-7310, or Pastor Bleiler at 594-3437, if scholarship assistance is requested.
Students should purchase textbooks for the course prior to the first evening session. Students should purchase the following textbooks:
1. Kenneth C. Haugk, Don't Sing Songs to a Heavy Heart: How to Relate to Those Who Are Suffering (Stephen Ministries). This text can be ordered through www.amazon.com or www.stephenministries.org. 2. Rudolph E. Grantham, Lay Shepherding: A Guide for Visiting the Sick, the Aged, the Troubled, and the Bereaved (Judson Press). This text can be ordered through www.amazon.com or www.judsonpress.com. 3. William H. Griffith, More Than a Parting Prayer: Lessons in Care-Giving for the Dying (Judson Press). This text can be ordered at www.judsonpress.com. The four textbooks listed above are estimated to cost $41.55, excluding shipping.
Students would are planning to take this course should contact Pastor Christiansen as soon as possible at P.O. Box 686, Trumansburg, NY 14886; 607-387-7705; or at dennischristiansen@htva.net. Contacting Pastor Christiansen early will help him better plan for the course. He can also answer questions about the course itself. If you have questions about the Lay Studies Program in general, students may contact Pastor Spencer at 594-2800. 
