The Community Church of Joy Leadership Center is presenting "Reinventing the Mainstreet Church" April 23-25 at its campus in Phoenix, Ariz. The conference is designed to appeal to church leaders from any size congregation who are committed to developing a mission-based ministry in their church.

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, pastor of Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, will be among the general session speakers and share his experience leading Windsor Village in growing from 25 members in 1982 to more than 12,000 members.

The cost is $275. For more information, contact the Community Church of Joy at 1-877-569-5323.

General Board offers discipleship resources

The General Board of Discipleship (GBOD) endorsed the Council for Accountable Discipleship as one of its affiliate organizations at its Feb. 21-24 meeting and will begin working with the Council on jointly-sponsored projects.

The Council’s mission is to help churches form faithful disciples of Jesus Christ through Covenant Discipleship groups, which are groups of between five and seven people who meet weekly for one hour of mutual accountability and support. The groups can be made up of adults, youth or older elementary children.

Discipleship Resources, the publishing organization of the GBOD, has recently published several resources written by council members.

For more information about Covenant Discipleship and the resources available through GBOD and the Council for Accountable Discipleship, contact Edie Harris at 321-723-0966 or bricedie@juno.com.

Team seeks volunteers for mission trip to Cuba

The Rev. Glenn Galtere, pastor at Miami’s Peace United Methodist Church and retired missionary to Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, is looking for volunteers for a United Methodist Volunteers in Mission (UMVIM) team to Cuba July 7-21.

The team will spend two weeks in Manzanillo in northeast Cuba. Galtere said the trip has three purposes: to build relationships with the Cuban people, participate in the church’s regular activities and do general maintenance on church buildings. No special construction skills are needed and participants do not need to speak Spanish, since several people going will be able to translate.

Galtere has prior experience with the Methodist Church in Cuba, according to the Rev. Larry Rankin, director of the Florida Conference’s Missions Ministry office. "His mission experience offers a mature leadership in Christian Mission," Rankin said.

The cost for the trip is estimated at between $1,400 and $1,700. For more information, contact Galtere at 305-821-8357 or glenngaltere@gateway.net.

Commission trains trainers to fight racism

The Florida Conference’s Commission on Religion and Race is looking for 20 or more people to help combat racism in the conference’s United Methodist churches by leading local church, district and conference workshops. Interested clergy or laity are invited to the Training of the Trainers workshop May 4-5 at the South Florida Camp in Alva, Fla.

Connie Barnes, former associate general secretary of the General Commission on Religion and Race, will facilitate the workshop. Barnes will share information on diversity, inclusiveness and hate crimes, and teach participants how to plan and lead a workshop.

The Commission on Religion and Race is offering the workshop at no charge. Participants are asked to bring a sleeping bag or twin-size bedding, pillow, towel, Bible and the folder of information they received during district Religion and Race training events.

For more information, contact Judy Flanagan at the Florida Conference Center at 1-800-282-8011, extension 132, or JFlanagan@flumc.org.

Short Bites

Two Spanish-language seminars in Atlanta Aug. 9-12 will help churches develop and renew Hispanic congregations. Scholarships are available. For more information, contact the Rev. Elí Rivera at 212-870-3820.?