South District

Dates: four consecutive Saturdays, July 20 – August 10, 2024, 9 AM – 11 AM PDT (6 AM HST/2 AM Sundays ChST)

Location: online (Zoom)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

Cost: $75 + the purchase of a book is also required.

Registration due: Wednesday, July 17, 2024 (pay by July 19)

This course is open to participants from all Cal-Pac districts. A minimum number of participants is required; if the class is canceled because not enough people register, registrants will be notified by email and those who have paid will be refunded. The maximum number of participants is 24.

This course focuses on delivering the gospel. The purpose of this course is to (1) articulate a theology of preaching; and (2) develop ideas for ordering and delivering sermons within the local congregation.

This course is a required course for those seeking Certified Lay Minister status. For more about Certified Lay Ministry, visit the CLM web page at www.calpacumc.org/clm.

• For Certified Lay Speakers and Certified Lay Servants, this course qualifies as an Advanced LSM Course for Preaching. The Conference Committee on Lay Servant Ministries has also approved this course as satisfying the requirement for Advanced LSM Preaching for those seeking Certified Lay Speaker status.

This course is also open to anyone who would like to attend for self-improvement/edification purposes.

• Attendance is required at all sessions for credit, as well as a two-hour assignment beyond the classroom, for a total of 10 hours.
• Instructor: Rev. Dr. Lincoln E. Galloway, K. Morgan Edwards Professor of Homiletics at Claremont School of Theology. Rev. Galloway is a former President of the Academy of Homiletics. As an elder in the Cal-Pac Conference, he has served as pastor of several UMC congregations.
• Materials: Participants are required to acquire the book A Lay Preacher’s Guide: How to Craft a Faithful Sermon by Karoline M. Lewis (Amazon, Cokesbury).

Zoom information will be included in your confirmation email.

• Technical requirements: To participate in Zoom meetings, participants must have a reliable Internet connection, and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone device that can download and install the Zoom app. A web or phone camera and a microphone are highly recommended, although some users may call in via phone if a mic is not available.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

For questions, contact CLM Registrar Denise Serino at deeserino@gmail.com.

Date: Saturday, July 27, 2024, 8 AM – 2 PM PDT

Location: Immanuel Presbyterian Church (3300 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90010)

CLICK HERE TO RSVP >>

RSVP by: July 19, 2024

We are excited to announce our upcoming event to support immigrant youth in our community! We aim to distribute 200 backpacks filled with essential school supplies, empowering students to start the school year with confidence and enthusiasm.

Expected Responsibilities of the Volunteer:

1. Event Setup and Coordination: Help set up tables, stations, and signage at the event location.

2. Backpack Distribution: Greet and interact with students and their families in a friendly and supportive manner.

3. Support and Encouragement: Offer words of encouragement and support to students as they prepare for the new school year.

4. Event Clean-Up: Assist with breaking down tables, stations, and signage after the event.

Expected Qualification of the Volunteer:

1. Passion for Youth Empowerment: Strong interest in working with young people and supporting their growth and development.

2. Leadership Experience: Prior experience working with youth is highly desirable.

3. Empathy and Patience: Ability to connect with students, show empathy, and exercise patience in various situations.

4. Cultural Competence: Respect and appreciation for diverse backgrounds and experiences, with an ability to create an inclusive environment.

5. Background Check: Completion of a background check to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP >>

For more information, contact Odette Avendano at odette@epicla.org or call 323.333.2416.

Dates: Tuesday-Thursday, August 6-8, 2024, 10 AM – 8 PM PDT

Location: Aldersgate UMC, Tustin (1201 Irvine Blvd, Tustin, CA 92780)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

Cost:

• $150/team (3 members) for all workshops – including lunch & dinner Tue-Wed – and an individual consultation
• $100/team for one day only
• if cost is prohibitive, contact Rev. Ken Suhr

Registration due: August 1 or it will max out at 33-team capacity, whichever comes first

This workshop is for clergy and church leaders involved in service planning. Bringing a team consisting of your pastor and two lay leaders is encouraged.

Your Connectional Ministries Team invites you to our upcoming August Workshop Event: Best Practices in Hospitality and Worship Design. Walk away with a plan for hospitality, connecting with new guests, and even a worship design for Lent 2025!

SCHEDULE:

Tuesday, Aug. 6:

• 10 AM – 4 PM: BOTH/AND Hospitality Workshop
• 5 PM – 8 PM: Dinner and A.I. Workshop

Wednesday, Aug. 7:

• 10 AM – 5 PM: Worship Design Workshop for Lent 2025

Thursday, Aug. 8:

• Optional 1-hour consultation sessions with Jason Moore

About Jason Moore:

Jason Moore brings over two decades of experience in designing dynamic church resources, training, and consulting. From hybrid worship design to practical uses of A.I. in ministry, Jason’s expertise is widely recognized. He is an Amazon Bestselling Author and has collaborated with notable figures in both religious and secular fields. His forthcoming book on A.I. in the church is highly anticipated.

Workshop Highlights:

• BOTH/AND: Hospitality: Learn how to extend radical hospitality both online and in-person, create great first impressions, and build lasting relationships within your community.
• Using A.I. Tools in the Church: Discover the ethical and practical uses of A.I. in ministry, and get hands-on experience with affordable, easy-to-use tools that can enhance your church’s outreach and engagement.
• Creative Worship: Master the use of visuals and creativity in worship communication. This workshop includes practical design sessions focused on creating engaging worship experiences for Lent 2025.

We look forward to welcoming you and your team to Aldersgate UMC for this transformative event. Register now to secure your spot and take the next step in elevating your church’s hospitality and worship design!

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

For questions about this event, contact Rev. Ken Suhr at ksuhr@calpacumc.org.

Dates: Tuesdays & Thursdays, August 6 – September 26, 2024, 5 PM – 7 PM PDT (2 PM HST/10 AM Wednesdays & Fridays ChST)

Location: online (Zoom)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER >>

Cost: free

Strengthening the Black Village is a Cal-Pac Advance Special. 

“Weaving together villages of care for the nourishment of the souls, bodies, and minds of our children.”

Strengthening the Black Village (SBV)’s 7th Cohort of Effective Black Parenting (published by the DC Children’s Trust Fund) sessions will take place 5-7 p.m. PDT on Tuesdays and Thursdays from August 6 through September 26, 2024, on Zoom. Attendance at all sessions is required to receive a certificate, and missing sessions will require approval and potentially make-up sessions.

Although we emphasize strengthening Black families, families most severely impacted by involvement with child welfare systems, we welcome and adapt our curriculum to all. Strengthening the Black Village (SBV) has hosted Jewish, Latinx, protestant, Catholic, Muslim, and everyone in between because it takes a village to raise a child.

We welcome anyone who wants to volunteer to learn how to conduct the courses to join our team. If interested, please fill out the registration form, which includes an agreement to participate, attend, model, and teach good skills and habits as we journey together.

• Technical requirements: To participate in Zoom meetings, participants must have a reliable Internet connection, and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone device that can download and install the Zoom app. A web or phone camera and a microphone are highly recommended, although some users may call in via phone if a mic is not available.

About the Founder and Executive Director:

To visit the SBV website, click here.

To go to the SBV LinkTree, click here.

To view SBV’s 2024 PDF brochure, click here.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER >>

For questions, concern, or feedback, contact Rev. Christy Ann Clark at 323.804.8469 or revcaclark@strengtheningtheblackvillage.org

Date: Saturday, August 10, 2024, 2 PM PDT

Location: Vista UMC (490 South Melrose Drive, Vista, CA 92081)

The South District Superintendency Committee invites you to join us in celebrating the appointment of Rev. Luis A. Garcia as South District Superintendent.

There will be fellowship with refreshments immediately following service.

For more information about this event, contact Michael Mitchell, South District Lay Leader, at sdlayleader@gmail.com

Dates: Saturday, August 17, 2024, 10 AM – 4 PM PDT

Location: Claremont UMC, Round Room

Cost: TBA

Registration due: TBA

For details, contact Rev. Dr. Denyse Barnes at dbarnes@calpacumc.org

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024, 2 PM – 4 PM PDT

Location: First UMC of Pasadena (500 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91101)

Join Cal-Pac on Saturday, August 17 from 2 to 4 pm to celebrate Bishop Sandy and shower her with blessings as she prepares for her move to the California-Nevada Annual Conference.

You are invited to bring a card or prayer for the newly-elected Bishop Sandra K. Olewine!

Feel free to drop in anytime. Bishop Dottie will provide a blessing at 3 pm.

Venue information:

• First United Methodist Church, Pasadena, is located a few blocks south of the 210 on Colorado Blvd. between Los Robles and Oakland Ave.
• The church has wheelchair-accessible entrances from the parking lot into the Sanctuary.

Parking information:

• Parking is available on the northeast corner of Los Robles & Green St.
• Handicap parking is available in the upper lot.

For questions, please contact Rev. Amy Aitken at 626-796-0157.

Date: Saturday, August 24, 2024 (3 PM – 6 PM PDT)

Location: Pico House (424 N Main St, Los Angeles, CA 90012)

CLICK HERE TO RSVP >>

Cost: varies

RSVP by: August 12, 2024

EPIC’S 3RD ANNUAL GALA: SANCTUARY OF SUPPORT

Join us for a transformative event that leverages the power of community and social connections to drive positive change!

We are thrilled to invite you to EPIC’s 3rd Annual Gala. Join us on August 24, 2024, at the historic Pico House in Downtown Los Angeles to celebrate the resilience and solidarity of our community.

Our goal is to raise $25,000 and expand our network of supporters through an inspiring celebration of EPIC’s impactful work.

Event Highlights:

• Presentation of the Canon Lydia Lopez Award, honoring community leaders who embody our mission
• Powerful stories of refuge and transformation, showcasing the strength of community solidarity
• Networking opportunities with like-minded individuals committed to social change

This year’s theme, “Sanctuary of Support,” embodies the secure and nurturing environment we provide. From transitional housing to immigrant youth mentoring, our mission is to create a refuge where individuals and families can find stability and thrive.

Why Attend:

• Witness the real-world impact of social good for individual and community well-being
• Contribute to creating a “sanctuary of support” for our local immigrant community
• Be part of a movement that harnesses collective power for positive societal outcomes

Checks can be written to Echo Park Immigration Center (note: “EPIC Gala” in the memo line) and mailed to:

Immanuel Presbyterian Church
Attn: Echo Park Immigration Center
3300 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90010

Your participation is crucial in amplifying our message and expanding our reach. By attending, you’ll join a network of change-makers dedicated to building a more supportive and resilient community.

Let’s harness the power of our social connections to create lasting change. Together, we can build a stronger, more compassionate society.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP >>

Echo Park Immigration Center (EPIC) is a faith collective that provides essential resources, mentoring and career connections for our immigrant youth and their families from a decolonizing approach. We launched in 2021 in through Echo Park UMC to work in solidarity with our greater Los Angeles community.

Learn more at epicla.org/gala.

Dates: two consecutive Tuesdays & Thursdays, August 27 – September 5, 2024, 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM PDT (2:30 PM HST/10:30 AM Wednesdays & Fridays ChST)

Location: online (Zoom)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

Cost: $75 + the purchase of a book is also required.

Registration due: Friday, August 23, 2024 (pay by August 26)

This course is open to participants from all Cal-Pac districts. A minimum number of participants is required; if the class is canceled because not enough people register, registrants will be notified by email and those who have paid will be refunded. The maximum number of participants is 24.

This course focuses on the creation of caring communities within the frameworks of faith, ethics and theological reflection.

This course is a required course for those seeking Certified Lay Minister status. For more about Certified Lay Ministry, visit the CLM web page at www.calpacumc.org/clm.

• For Certified Lay Speakers and Certified Lay Servants, this course qualifies as an Advanced LSM Course, but is not one of the 6 required courses to qualify for Certified Lay Speaker.

This course is also open to anyone who would like to attend for self-improvement/edification purposes.

• Attendance is required at all sessions for credit, as well as a two-hour assignment beyond the classroom, for a total of 10 hours.
• Instructor: Pastor Greg LaDue (Retired). Pastor LaDue was the Director of the Counseling Center at First UMC of San Diego for over twenty years and is a Marriage and Family Therapist.
• Materials: Participants will use the book The Practice of Ministry Module 2 from Upper Room.

Zoom information will be included in your confirmation email.

• Technical requirements: To participate in Zoom meetings, participants must have a reliable Internet connection, and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone device that can download and install the Zoom app. A web or phone camera and a microphone are highly recommended, although some users may call in via phone if a mic is not available.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

For questions, contact CLM Registrar Denise Serino at deeserino@gmail.com.

Dates: Tuesdays, September 17 – October 15, 2024, 6 PM – 8 PM PDT (3 PM HST/11 AM Wednesdays ChST)

Location: online (Zoom)

REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON

Cost: $20 + provide your own book (see below)

This class is open to participants from all Cal-Pac & Cal-Nev districts and others. To view the 2024 Tongan LSM Course series schedule, click here.

Prerequisite: TBA

This class is required for Lay Speaker certification.

• All those seeking certification as a Certified Lay Servant are invited to attend. To learn more about Lay Servant Ministries, click here.
• Attendance is required at all sessions for credit.
• Provide your own book: TBA

You will receive the Zoom link in your registration confirmation.

• Technical requirements: To participate in Zoom meetings, participants must have a reliable Internet connection, and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone device that can download and install the Zoom app. A web or phone camera and a microphone are highly recommended, although some users may call in via phone if a mic is not available.

REGISTRATION LINK COMING SOON

Date: Saturday, October 19, 2024, PDT

Location: TBD

Cost: TBD

Registration due: TBD

All United Women in Faith are invited, along with all others.

52ND ANNUAL CELEBRATION

Our Mission: to connect and nurture women through Christian spiritual formation, leadership development, creative fellowship, and education so that they can inspire, influence, and impact local and global communities.

more info TBA

***Update [5/7/2024]: The starting date of this course has been changed from May 14 to October 29. The Hawai`i District will be affected by daylight savings time ending in California on November 3.***

Dates: five Tuesdays, October 29, 6 PM – 8 PM PDT (3 PM HST/11 AM Wednesdays ChST) &  November 5-26, 2024, 6 PM – 8 PM PST (4 PM HST/Noon Wednesdays ChST)

Location: online (Zoom)

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

Cost: $20 + provide your own book (see below)

This class is open to participants from all Cal-Pac & Cal-Nev districts and others. To view the 2024 Tongan LSM Course series schedule, click here.

Prerequisite: Basic LSM

How do we walk with people experiencing pain, grief, and loss? As people of faith committed to wholeness and healing, we are called to a ministry of compassion and care. This course helps build foundational knowledge and skills to engage in this vital ministry of the church. This course can be counted toward recertification.

• All those seeking certification as a Certified Lay Servant are invited to attend. To learn more about Lay Servant Ministries, click here.
• Attendance is required at all sessions for credit.
• Provide your own book: Basic Course Participant’s Book by Sandy Jackson and Brian Jackson

You will receive the Zoom link in your registration confirmation.

• Technical requirements: To participate in Zoom meetings, participants must have a reliable Internet connection, and a laptop, tablet, or smartphone device that can download and install the Zoom app. A web or phone camera and a microphone are highly recommended, although some users may call in via phone if a mic is not available.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER NOW >>

If you have any questions, please email Kalesita Faasisila (kalesita.f@cnumc.org).