Be all you can be” may be the U.S. Army’s slogan, but Alabama Baptist secretaries plan to apply that concept to their positions.
During the April 27-30 Alabama Association of Baptist Secretaries (AABS) Conference at Judson College participants will gain professional and personal tips to take them to the next level in their secretarial roles.
Evelyn Harris, president of AABS, said the theme of the conference, “Serving in God’s Love,” reflects the principle of serving Jesus found in Matthew 16:24: “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.”
“Each day as we serve in our offices, we want to serve Jesus,” Harris said. “As you serve in His love, you serve more effectively.
LifeWay Christian Resources consultant Sandra Sartor is the general conference leader, with Laurie Brasher of Good Hope Baptist Church, Pell City, leading the music and Pastor Barry Cosper of Canaan Baptist Church, Bessemer, leading the devotional.
Associational secretaries will have a class geared toward their specific needs taught by Wynette Cox and Carol Henderson.
And those secretaries who are just beginning in their careers will find out what working in a church office means in Ruth Shipp’s class. (See story, this pate.) “This won’t be a how-to-conference, it will be a why conference,” Shipp said. “Why are you in the church office?”
Certification offered
Professional certification classes will be offered, as well as computer classes on Microsoft Publisher and Web site management. An advanced class in Microsoft Excel will provide hands-on training.
Jim Swedenburg, director of the office of annuity and insurance at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM), will explain the church retirement plan offered by the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Other classes include church legal issues, finances and taxes.
While improving their professional lives secretaries will learn to take care of their personal lives.
A “Good’n’Mad” anger management class will be taught by Dale Huff, director of church administration at the SBOM, and classes on personal wellness and appearance- “Absolute Beauty”- will teach the importance of paying attention to personal needs.
“I hope this [conference] is a time of refreshing of their personal lives, outward appearances and skills as secretaries,” Harris said.
After a day of “Absolute Beauty” on Monday, Harris said she hopes the secretaries will be ready for the pictorial directory photos on Tuesday.
For more information, call 256- 354-5073 or visit www.alsbom.org/aabs.
(TAB)
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