District Leadership Training
March 7, 2026, 9:00-noon
Oregon United Methodist Church (200 S. Fourth St. Oregon, IL)
Registration 8:00-9:00
Worship 9:00-9:45
Training sessions: 10:00-noon
Sessions:
Staff/Pastor-Parish Relations Committee (SPRC) Training — Rev. Danita R. Anderson, Assistant to the Bishop - An excellent workshop for those new to serving on the Staff-Parish Committee or as refresher for veterans to ground that work with clarity. Also helpful to enlarge understanding of the appointive process.
Budgeting and Stewardship — Elaine Moy, Conference Treasurer & Rev. Seamus Enright, Committee on Discipleship & Spiritual Formation - How do you make a budget and how do you fund it? Two-part presentation with Q&A offers practical guidance and tools for both those questions, theological grounding for the work, and seeks to equip participants with actionable steps they can take back to their churches.
Practicing Hope — Gail Helland, President, Prairie South United Women in Faith - Our Annual Conference theme for 2026 is “Practicing Hope”. How can we think about, talk about, and make the practice of hope real in our lives and communities? The UWF resource “Practicing Hope” was part of the Bishop’s inspiration; Prairie South District UMF president Gail Helland will present and guide leaders through discussion on this topic, equipping them for conversations that connect.
Engaging your Community — Rev. Tiffany Garcea, Erie UMC - Workshop to spark imagination and help develop ideas on how to engage your community with passion and creativity. Learn to identify the intersection of the world’s deep need and your deep joy and the work you might do there. Don’t forget to ask about Huckleberry the itinerant prairie dog!
Mapping the Life of Your Church — Rev. Dr. Paul Lee, Sterling: Wesley UMC - This workshop helps church leaders understand radical hospitality and divine friendship, ministry balance, and the rhythm of their church year. Participants will reflect on current practices, explore the four aspects of the missional church, and create an Annual Ministry Calendar that reveals their church’s shared story.
Creative Worship — Rev. Dr. Megan Smick, Oregon UMC - Enter into a deeper understanding of what worship is and what it does, examining your current model and exploring ways to increase worship vitality and enrich congregational experience through creative elements and approaches.