District Breakout Locations
North Central District Lay Breakout (Grand Ballroom A)
Northeast District Lay Breakout (Grand Ballroom B)
Northwest District Lay Breakout (Grand Ballroom C)
Southeast District Lay Breakout (Junior Ballroom A-B)
Southwest District Lay Breakout (Junior Ballroom C-D)
Laity Session Resources
Ministry Case Studies
Here are a few great ways that churches have shared their faith with their community. What would it look like for you to incorporate something similar, or what can they inspire you to try in your church?
Carl Butler sings a honky tonk message to any that attend on Wednesday nights at Knuckleheads, a roadhouse venue in the East Bottoms of Kansas City. Since 2010, Butler has enjoyed this chaplaincy work among nightclub musicians, bartenders, waitresses and people who are not turned off by God – just a little turned off by the mainstream Church. Butler and his band start by covering a few secular songs. Then they segue into gospel material to set the tone for a brief sermon. He or his wife, Sharon, gives a brief three- or four-minute talk about life principles and how anyone can have a relationship with God, and then they follow up with a guest artist at the end.
Church laity hosts parent engagement activities for the preschool/daycare within the same walls. They hand out coffee during morning drop off, offer special Sunday worship that is preschool-family appropriate, volunteer in classrooms to read, support naptimes and just play.
A church that is close to a college or high school opens its building up as a space to study and offers special finals week, late-night sessions with snacks, music and brain break activities.
One local church in an urban/suburban setting has created a Community Unity Center that seeks to bring people in the community together in an environment where everyone’s uniqueness and gifts are celebrated. Since July 2023, this team has sponsored a monthly free dinner for any community members who would like to attend. While focused invitations are sent to food insecure families identified through the local school’s wraparound services, the invitation is open to all community members. The level of engagement has been incredible. They serve between 40-70 people each month. At any given dinner you might see police officers, members of the local school board, local school administrators, leaders in not-for-profits, and school and city social workers sitting next to and conversing with folks who are unhoused or struggling to make ends meet. Their goal is for mutually respectful relationships to form among community members who are from diverse walks of life as a means toward reconciliation across a number of barriers — including economic and racial.
Over the past few years, after discussions within the LifeSong UMC church council and the entire congregation, we felt that to be able to make a bigger impact, in the community with so many apparent needs, we needed to seek out and partner with larger who have the resources, media reach, people power and infrastructure to be able to reach more people in need. From those discussions beautiful partnerships have formed with organizations including Unite Table Rock, Reeds Spring Schools, Convoy of Hope and, just this past July, Christian Action Ministries (CAM). Nearly all of these organizations are faith-based, with Jesus Christ as the centerpiece of their outreach. Through our newest partnership with CAM, we are able to distribute groceries and personal care items to over 300 people every month, which is something we could not do on our own. And every new relationship built through these ministries has been not only to be the hands and feet of Jesus as we reach more people in need but to also have the opportunity to share the Gospel, pray with our neighbors and build up their spirits.
The Pleasant View Motel is within half a mile of New Hope UMC in Arnold, Missouri. Pleasant View is a weekly stay motel that is home to approximately 60 residents. Most of them are working adults or adults on fixed incomes, but they are living check-to-check. While the weekly stay cost is more expensive than other housing opportunities, those who live there experience various barriers to securing more affordable opportunities. Yet, Pleasant View does not provide laundry facilities on site. New Hope recently entered a relationship with a new community outreach organization that is housed in its church building. In partnership with this outreach center, our low-income neighbors and homeless friends have access to food, clothing, and hygiene products along with the opportunity to receive one-on-one support to address other life challenges and goals. We are also able to offer the use of showers and a washer and dryer. Volunteers are available to wash and dry clothes during hours when the outreach center is not open to our neighbors. This service includes picking up and dropping off laundry during the weekly food drop-off.
From a District Superintendent in Indiana: “I was recently in worship at one of our churches. It’s a humbling experience to always be the guest. You learn pretty quickly what real hospitality looks like. That morning, the pastor said, “Take out your phones. Go to our church’s Facebook page. Share our service with your own Facebook page, inviting people to join you in worship. Why? Because it is important, and ... this is the easiest method of sharing the Good News you will ever do!” Of course, I did it (being the obedient sort of person that I am). And guess what? People joined that worship service because of my share! Then they commented to me later about the service. They asked questions, and they were engaged. That pastor was right - it was easy! Even more, in one action, I, the actual, in-person guest was not only included in the worship action myself but became the agent of inviting others to hear. I was blessed to share the Good News!”