Germantown Church hosts new ‘Building and Empowering Lay Leadership’ training program

*Germantown Church of the Brethren in a photo taken during the Brethren World Assembly celebration of the congregation in 2023. Photo by Glenn Riegel*

A release from Atlantic Northeast District

“Building and Empowering Lay Leadership” (B.E.L.L.) is a new program hosted by Germantown Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia, Pa., to strengthen lay leaders in congregations with a special focus on urban ministry in culturally diverse areas. The program is a two-year sequence with seven units with instructors who are leaders in their fields.

Mission statement

This program will equip and empower lay leaders to serve in their roles in the congregation in providing collaborative leadership in support of the pastor. The program will do this through instruction about the Bible, theology, church history, care for families, church vitality in an urban setting, leadership styles and worship, music and preaching. This program will produce new congregational vitality by empowering lay leaders.

Start up

The program begins this August (2026), with four units during 2026-2027. The remaining three units are scheduled for 2027-2028. The program is open to any lay leaders in Church of the Brethren congregations and other congregations. The cost is $25 for an entire year, and $50 for the whole program. All instruction sessions start with a Zoom introduction meeting with the instructor. About six weeks after the introduction session, the learners will meet in person with the instructor from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. All instruction sessions will be in-person only in Germantown because of the importance of the urban context for learning.

Units, dates, and instructors

Year 1

Unit 1: “Introduction to the Bible and Biblical Interpretation.” Zoom intro on Aug. 30, 2 p.m.; in-person session on Oct. 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Led by Stephen Breck Reid, Ph.D., former professor of Old Testament and dean at Bethany Theological Seminary.

Unit 2: “Intro to Theology,” including Anabaptist and Black theology. Zoom intro on Oct. 25, 2 p.m.; in-person session on Dec. 5, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Led by Drew G. I. Hart, Ph.D., professor of theology and ethics at Messiah University and a member at Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren.

Unit 3: “Family Life,” including insights on family dynamics, substance abuse, incarceration, trauma, and the influence of social media. Zoom intro on Feb. 7, 2027; in-person session on March 13, 2027. Led by Tom Longenecker, a counselor for substance abuse disorder and former pastor of Church of the Brethren and Mennonite congregations.

Unit 4: “Urban Church and Church Vitality.” Zoom intro on April 4, 2 p.m.; in-person session on May 16, 2027, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The scheduled leader is Bishop Guy L. Glimp of the Church of God in Christ and a long-time pastor familiar with urban Philadelphia.

Year 2

Unit 5: “Church History.” Zoom intro on Aug. 29, 2027; in-person session on Oct. 9, 2027, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Led by Jeff Bach, Ph.D., former professor of Historical and Brethren Studies at Bethany Theological Seminary, director emeritus of the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown (Pa.) College.

Unit 6: Will focus on music, worship, and preaching. Dates and leader are to be determined.

Unit 7: Will review personality styles and gifts in leadership and sense of calling among lay leaders. Dates and leader are to be determined.

For more information and to register, contact Richard Kyerematen by email at rich684@cs.com or by phone at 215-906-3128 (text is best). Or contact Jeff Bach by email at bachja58@gmail.com or by phone at 717-725-8782 (email is best).

Remember: BELL (Building and Empowering Lay Leadership) is more important than that other bell in Philadelphia.

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