By Water & the Spirit: Theology & Practice of Baptism a Zoom-based study offered by the Board of Ordained Ministry
Zoom Sessions:
Saturday November 7, 9:00-11:30 AM
Saturday November 21, 9:00-11:30 AM
Baptism is at the core of who we are as Christians -- but how well do we truly understand this sacrament? Those of us who serve in church leadership often face practical questions with deep theological roots. Why do we baptize? What happens in baptism? Why do we baptize infants? What do we mean when we say "remember your baptism" -- especially if baptized as an infant? Why don't we re-baptize? Why don't we do private baptisms? And how do we navigate the sacrament of baptism in a season of social distancing? By getting to the theological heart of baptism, we as church leaders can offer better and more meaningful answers to these questions that so often arise from the pews.
This Zoom-based study is designed to help all church leaders -- and in particular, our licensed local pastors and lay-supply pastors -- to wrestle with this theological foundation of baptism.
To participate, individuals should read Gayle Carlton Felton's By Water and the Spirit (available at cokesbury.com) and share any questions with the study leaders via email. (Real-world questions -- as in: What do I say when a person from my church asks _________? -- are most welcome!) Questions are due by Saturday, October 17, and Zoom sessions will take place on Saturday November 7 and Saturday November 21, both from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM via Zoom. (Zoom links will be sent upon registration.) 0.5 CEUs will be offered to those who complete this course.
Rev. Gary Knerr is the Lead Pastor at Grove UMC near West Chester, PA. A graduate of Albright College & Princeton Theological Seminary, he is an ordained elder since 1990, and served six charges in Eastern Pennsylvania, comprising suburban, rural, & small town congregations. He is the Co-chairman of the Board of Ordained Ministry with a particular interest in sacramental theology and a retired chief officer in the volunteer fire service. He is married to Deb, an interpreter & professor of American Sign Language at West Chester University and the father of two twenty-something adopted daughters from India.
Rev. Candy LaBar currently serves as Lead Pastor of Wesley UMC in Bethlehem, PA. Originally from the former Wyoming Annual Conference, she transferred to Eastern Pennsylvania in 2008 and was ordained as an elder in 2012. She previously served as a coordinator of Annual Conference worship and currently serves as the chair of the North DCOM. A graduate of Moravian College and Drew Theological School, she nurtures a passion for interfaith dialogue, liturgy writing, and worship design... and on occasion, does Hebrew homework just for the sheer fun of it. In her spare time, she enjoys crocheting, listening to podcasts, and binging episodes of The Great British Baking Show. She and her husband Keith (a high school choir director) live in the Poconos with their two young children.
This registration is now closed. If you have questions, contact Lindsey Cotman at lcotman@epaumc.org.