2024 Lay Servant Re-Certification Application

Aton Abril
Date created: 10/10/2024 Last updated: 10/10/2024
2024-2025 Lay Servant Annual Report or Re-Certification Application
Who should file this form?
1. If you are certified as a Lay Servant after 2021, you should use this form to file your Annual Report.
2. If you are certified as a Lay Servant before 2021, you should use this form to get recertified.
Please follow these three steps to complete your application:
1. As soon as possible, make an appointment with your pastor or ministry leader to talk about your growth and discernment (see section D below). Bring a copy of your application with you. Your completed application will be sent to you in your confirmation email.
2. Send Recommendation Form link for your pastor to fill out: 2024-2025 Pastoral Recommendation Form (Lay Servant) (brtapp.com) (https://calnev-reg.brtapp.com/pastorrec2425)
3. Present your report at your Church/Charge Conference: You will need to be recommended by both your pastor and Church/Charge Conference for certification.

A. Applicant Information
Application/Report Year (put in current year) :

• 2024

First Name

• Aton

Last Name

• Abril

Address 1

• 647 N 11th St

City

• San Jose

State

• CA

Zip

• 95112

Phone

• 6507995409

Email

• aton@wesleysj.net

Church Member:

• Yes

Church Name:

• San Jose, Wesley UMC

Church District:

• El Camino Real

Pastor's Name:

• John Oda

Pastor's email:

• revjohnoda@yahoo.com

Check the appropriate line:

• This is my annual report.

A. Training
Have you taken an Advanced Lay Servant Course within the last three years?

• Yes 

Name of course:

• Spiritual Gifts 

Year taken: 

• 2024

What other Advanced Lay Servant courses have you taken and when (begin with most recent first)?

• Unlock the Power of AI, 2024 (California Pacific)

B. Further Engagement and Development
In this past year, what steps have you taken to...
Develop your devotional life:

• I'm an active participant in our neighborhood group and young adult bible study. I'm also participating in Spirituality in Practice, a two-year intensive program for spiritual growth put on by the Upper Room.

Improve your understanding of the Bible and the Christian faith?

• The activities for my devotional life also overlap with development in Christian faith

Improve your understanding of The United Methodist Church?

• My continued partnership with other district and conference leaders

Improve your skills in speaking, leading, and caring?

• I've had the opportunity to lead worship at Almaden Hills and Watsonville UMC and speak at many churches around my district. In visiting these churches I've gotten to hear many stories of how we can do better. I take those stories to heart.

C. Service In and Outside the Church
Select the activities you have participated in your local church, district, conference or the wider community during the past year.

• Worship Leadership 
• Sermons or devotional messages given
• Classes taught
• Prayer/spiritual formation groups led
• Congregational care
• Outreach ministries
• Faith sharing
• Justice & advocacy
• Administrative leadership in church
• Administrative leadership in the district
• Administrative leadership in the conference

D. On-going Discernment & Growth (to be discussed with your pastor)
1. Which area(s) of service are you seeing themost fruit?

• Thriving in community. I know that is a goal of our conference but truly that has been an area where I am seeing new budding fruit every where I go and each local church that I visit 19 so far. 

2. Where do you see your need for growth? What are your growing edges?

• Communications. I think that is both personally but also enablement of stronger communications throughout my district. Just yesterday we had our first virtual meeting of El Camino Real District Board of Laity. I do think that group will be a critical piece for improving our communications. 

3. Are you feeling called to any area of ministry, either in the church or outside the church, in which you are not currently involved? If yes, please share: 

• Not particularly, I think my "extra band width" has been taken up with the Spirituality in Practice program which I do feel is great but I do want to take care not to over burden myself. 

4. What additional training or support do you need to further your ministry? 

• A dedicated staff person for El Camino Real District communications and social presence. It's something I'm working on getting but really when I am out with churches this is what gets brought up the most to me. 

5. What suggestions do you have for the LayServant Training Program (new courses orsuggestions for improvement): 

• Similar to the AI course that Cal Pacific offered I think one here in Cal Nevada would be good as well. I'm also very much looking forward to the release of our new LMS(Learning Management System) as I think it has the potential to bridge some of the gaps that we currently have both on the learner and administrative side. 

Applicant Signature 

• By typing your name and signing in the area below you are verifying your name and dateof this signature 
• Signed by Aton Abril on Oct-10-2024

Please schedule a time to meet with your pastor regarding your growth and ongoing discernment. You will need to receive approval from your pastor (through the Pastor's Recommendation Form) and your church’s Charge Conference before the Lay Servant Ministries Committee can act upon your application.