The Florida Conference School of Ministry will meet Oct. 6-8 at the Life Enrichment Center in Leesburg. The topic is “Focus on your Spiritual Formation.”

Guest speakers include Florida Conference Bishop Timothy W. Whitaker and Dr. Maxie D. Dunnam, president of Asbury Theological Seminary.

The registration cost is $25 before Sept. 19 and $35 after that deadline. For more information contact Winnie Dean at wdean@flumc.org.

The General Board of Church and Society (GBCS) is placing a high priority on the HIV/AIDS issue and urging increased advocacy by the denomination.

In collaboration with GBCS and other groups, the Global AIDS Alliance is sponsoring the Global AIDS Action Conference. Themed “Catalyzing Grassroots Action to Stop Global AIDS,” the event will be held Sept. 26-29 at the Jurys Hotel in Washington, D.C.

The meeting will bring together AIDS activists from throughout the world to share experiences and perspectives and learn the latest on local and global campaigning on AIDS and debt and access to medication.

Registration is $30 and $10 for students and low-income people.

For more information visit http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/conference.html.

African-American churches or churches interested in becoming part of the Florida Conference’s efforts with the “Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century” initiative are invited to Mount Zion United Methodist Church, St. Petersburg, Oct. 23-25 for the group’s second annual meeting.

Throughout the 2001-2004 quadrennium the denomination-wide “Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century” initiative has been focusing on creating congregational resource centers and providing resources for partner congregations. Congregations participating in the initiative strive to foster an environment in which individuals and communities experience spiritual, social and personal transformation.

Registration is $35 before Sept. 15 and $45 after that deadline.