Bay Life Community Church, a United Methodist congregation in Sarasota, is presenting a one-day workshop on communications and technology in the church Oct. 13 at St. James United Methodist Church in Sarasota.

Bay Life staff will lead classes on sound, printed material, computer systems and church Web sites.

The cost is $15 per person. Group rates are available. For more information, contact Bay Life church at 941-923-9779 or admin@baylifecommunity.com. 

"Witness" is a 25-week small group study designed to create a culture of vital Christian witness by helping individuals and congregations prepare to share their faith as they become more excited about Christian witnessing. It is a new resource offered by the General Board of Discipleship (GBOD).

To celebrate the study’s launch, the GBOD, Florida Conference’s Operation Evangelization, Asbury Theological Seminary’s Orlando campus and Foundation for Evangelism are sponsoring an event Nov. 2-3 at Asbury’s Orlando campus. The Rev. Dr. Roger Swanson, the Florida Conference’s director of Operation Evangelization, will be among the event’s presenters.

The cost is $150 per church and includes 10 Witness book sets, which will be used during the weekend. Accommodations are available at the Holiday Inn Express, Orlando-East at $72 plus tax per night per room. For hotel reservations call 407-282-3900 and mention the Florida Annual Conference Group.

For more information, contact Robbie H. Jones with the GBOD at 877-899-2780, extension 7054, or rjones@gbod.org. 

Clergy and laity who want to know how to bring kids to church and Christ are invited to attend "Fishin’ for His Kids!" Transformation Children’s Ministry Conference Nov. 2-3 at Grace United Methodist Church in Cape Coral.

Ministers from Grace United Methodist Church will share how their church grew its children’s ministry from 40 kids four years ago to more than 200 children now in attendance every Sunday.

The cost is $20 per person or $15 per person for groups of five or more. The registration deadline is Oct. 25. Accommodations are available at the Howard Johnson Hotel at $57 per night. For hotel reservations, call 941-656-4000 and mention the Grace Church Children’s Ministry Conference.

For more information, contact Acevedo or Heather Evans, the church’s children’s pastor, at 941-574-7161 or visit http://www.gracecapecoral.com. 

Parents, educators and child-care professionals who want to be more effective in communicating with children are invited to the Playsongs concert and Child Talk Seminar at Orlando’s College Park United Methodist Church Nov. 2-3.

Karyn Henley, author, educator and children’s communicator, will present both programs. Henley is the author of "The Beginner’s Bible" and "The Creative Bible Learning Series." Her Playsongs videos and CDs are popular children’s resources.

The concert is free. The cost for the seminar is $15 per person before Oct. 26 or $12.50 per person for groups of 10 or more. Child care is available. For more information, contact Mary Massey, director of the College Park United Methodist Church Child Development Centre, at 407-841-6020 or mary@cpumc.org. 

The Florida Conference is sponsoring a Deaf Awareness Weekend Nov. 9-11 at Conway United Methodist Church in Orlando. "Body of Christ — Gifted and Talented" is open to all persons.

The Rev. Peggy Johnson, pastor of Christ United Methodist Church for the Deaf in Maryland, is the guest leader and will preach in sign language at all three Sunday worship services. Voice interpretation will be provided.