Conference Announces new Director of Lay Speaking Ministries
The North Alabama Conference Lay Ministry Team announces that June Wilson is the newly appointed Conference Director of Lay Speaking Ministries.
Conference Lay Leader Steve Lyles says, “The Board of Laity is delighted to announce that June Wilson, a Lay Speaker from the Southeast District will immediately become the Conference Director of Lay Speaking Ministries. June has full support of the Conference and District Lay Leaders in becoming the Conference Director.” He adds, “The Laity Committee is glad to fill this very important position with June as the position has been open for a couple of years. June brings tremendous skills to the job and we look forward to June bringing the Districts together in Lay Speaking Ministries.”
June Wilson is from Equality in the Southeast District and is a member of Equality United Methodist Church where she is a Sunday school teacher, choir member, frequent worship leader and a volunteer with the monthly food distribution program.
June is a third generation Methodist growing up in Alexander City First United Methodist Church. Her husband, John, is the pastor of the Equality UMC. June and John have two adult children and three grandchildren.
June graduated from Jacksonville State University with a Bachelor of Science in English and Physical Education. She earned Master Degrees and AA certification in School Administration and Supervision of Instruction from Troy University in Montgomery. June also attended doctoral classes at Auburn University. She retired from Montgomery Public Schools after 32 years as an English teacher, and junior and senior high school assistant principal. Later, June also served as an education consultant in schools under state takeover.
June has been a lay speaker in both the Alabama-West Florida and the North Alabama Conferences.
She says, “Each member of the United Methodist Church is called to be in ministry -- not just those who are called into ordained ministry. I rejoice in God’s Call to be a disciple of Jesus Christ serving as the Conference Director of Lay Speaking Ministries. I am looking forward to working with the Laity Board, District Directors of Lay Speaking, lay speakers, other organized laity of the conference and the clergy.”
Lay Speaking Ministries is a way to empower and equip laity to serve the United Methodist Church in a variety of leadership and service roles. To become a lay speaker, a person must receive specific training “to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, care-giving ministries” (The Book of Disciple of The United Methodist Church, 2008, paragraph 266.1) Lay speakers can serve in their local churches (local church lay speakers) or become “certified lay speakers” and serve in and beyond the local church. To maintain the status of a lay speaker, a person must continue training with refresher or advanced courses approved by the Conference Committee on Lay Speaking Ministries.
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