The teachings of St. Augustine and St. Patrick are the foundations for the training at the 2000 School of Ministry Oct. 2-4 at the Life Enrichment Center in Leesburg. Themed "Praise the Past, Proclaim the Future," this year’s event is designed to prepare pastors to "do ministry in the future by valuing the treasures passed on to us from the past," according to the Rev. John Hill, dean of the school.

Dr. Bill Mallard, professor of church history and theology at Candler School of Theology, will help translate the theology of St. Augustine for future ministry. Dr. George Hunter, dean of evangelism and church growth at Asbury Theological Seminary, will explain the evangelical style of St. Patrick and how it shapes modern evangelism. The Rev. Sylvia Russell, a deacon serving at Pasadena Community United Methodist Church, will teach classical Christian devotional practices.

Worship leaders include the Revs. Matthew Hartsfield, Debbie McLeod and Tom Drick from the Florida Conference. Bishop Cornelius L. Henderson will preach at the closing worship on Wednesday.

The registration fee is $25 prior to Sept. 25 and $33 thereafter. Housing and meal costs at the LEC for all three days start at $105.50, double occupancy. For more information, contact Hill at 904-221-1700.

Laity who want help identifying their spiritual gifts are invited to attend the 2000 Florida "Discover God’s Call" retreat Nov. 10-12 at the Life Enrichment Center in Leesburg. The retreat is a ministry of the Foundation for Evangelism.

The 26-day home-study course, which begins Oct. 9, will help participants identify their spiritual gifts and sense God’s will for them. During the weekend retreat, participants will explore God’s call through small groups, solitude and worship.

Dr. Charles Kinder, an elder in the Florida Conference and former president of the Foundation for Evangelism and conference secretary for evangelism, is the featured speaker.

The cost is $160; scholarships are available. The registration deadline is Sept. 29. For more information, contact Jed Pollitz at 904-255-4876 or Sally Eldred at 941-439-0880.

People who are in good health, love the outdoors and have a positive attitude are invited to participate in the 26th Annual Florida Conference Adult Trail Hike Oct. 16-22.

The group will travel to North Carolina to hike part of the Appalachian Trail. Participants need to furnish a sleeping bag, tent, sturdy hiking boots and personal gear.

The cost is $100 per person, which covers transportation, meals while camping, insurance, community gear and a backpack, if needed.

For more information, contact Mary Ann and Gene Cantwell, Adult Trail Hike coordinators, at 352-394-2506, or Birk Mullinax in the Florida Conference Council on Ministries’ Discipleship office at 1-800-282-8011, extension 141.

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is airing a series of four programs, "On Our Own Terms: Moyers on Dying," to encourage discussion and community action on end-of-life issues. Bill Moyers is the host for the series, which airs Sept. 10-13, 9-10:30 p.m. A different program will be shown each night. PBS recommends checking local listings.

The series deals with issues surrounding death and how doctors, nurses, hospice and social workers, and others are working to improve the process of dying and the care given. Specific issues include how to be with a dying person, self-care for the caregiver, talking with your doctor, pain management, grief and policy issues.

A discussion and leadership guide and videocassettes of the programs are available to help groups organize a local discussion forum based on the program.

For more information, contact Eloise Nenon with GodCare in Palm Beach at 561-820-1503 or efnenon@att.net; Catherine Smith with Barksdale Ballard & Co., national outreach coordinators, at 703-827-8771 or csmith@bballard.com  or visit the program’s Web site at http://www.pbs.org/onourownterms.