Registration Available for Eight-Year Assessment Training Event in Orlando

Published On: September 18, 2017

To help annual conferences better understand, develop and implement the requirements for the Eight-Year Assessment (EYA), as sanctioned by the 2016 General Conference, the Candidacy Office at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM) is offering a training event February 19-21, 2018, in Orlando, Florida.

Every eight years, as part of the EYA, clergy are required to engage in a six-month series of personal and professional assessment and development trainings. The cabinet and board of ordained ministry, in consultation with the chairs of the Orders of Deacons and Elders and Fellowship of Local Pastors and Associate Members, are charged with designing and implementing this process in each annual conference.

GBHEM encourages annual conferences to send members of these teams who will be leading the conference in the development and implementation of the EYA to the training event in Orlando.

“The training will focus on providing resources and a framework for teams to consider in the EYA’s development,” said Meg Lassiat, executive director of candidacy and conference relations at GBHEM. “We’ll also set aside time for teams to plan and work together. We want people to network so they can receive feedback from other annual conferences as well.”

The training event will be held Monday, February 19 to Wednesday, February 21. The conference fee is $350 and includes double rooms (or shared) accommodations, some meals, and transportation to and from the Orlando International Airport. Single (private) rooms are available for an additional charge.

More information about the Candidacy Office and GBHEM is available at gbhem.org.

About GBHEM: As the leadership development agency of The United Methodist Church, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s mission is to build capacity for United Methodist lay and clergy leaders to discover, claim and flourish in Christ’s calling in their lives, by creating connections and providing resources to aid in recruitment, education, professional development and spiritual formation. Every elder, deacon and licensed local pastor benefits from our training and candidacy programs. Many young adults find help in clarifying their vocation and God’s call in their lives through our leadership and discernment programs. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook: @GBHEM.

Related Posts

  • Rev. Dr. Margaret Ann Crain: A Life of Service as a Deacon
    Published On: August 21, 2026

    The Rev. Dr. Margaret Ann Crain helped define what it means to be a deacon, even before The United Methodist Church had the language. Crain, now among the first class of United Methodist deacons ordained following the 1996 General Conference, said her sense of call long predated the creation of the Order of Deacon.

  • Thirty Years On, United Methodist Deacons Continue to Bridge Church and World
    Published On: August 17, 2026

    Thirty years after The United Methodist Church established the Order of Deacons, the vocation continues to shape how the church serves beyond its walls through its estimated 1,100 ordained members. Approved by the 1996 General Conference, the order created a permanent ordained ministry centered on Word, service, compassion, and justice, affirming a lifelong calling distinct from elder ministry.

  • Monday Reflections: Always We Begin Again
    Published On: August 17, 2026

    I pray this summer you found time to relax and renew. When I was a chaplain, I served in the president’s cabinet. From that experience, I know summers are not entirely relaxing for staff and administration. ... Not only do we gain a realistic picture of what we will find in the next few months, but it is also a time for staff and faculty to begin again.