ChurchWatch 03/23/09
A CLASS Act: A New Direction for Christian Communications
It really is an enigma in the publishing industry -- an organization that purposefully gives away trade secrets to competing writers and speakers. But that is exactly what CLASS has been doing now for nearly thirty years -- all for the Kingdom of God.
CLASS, which stands for Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Services, was launched by the mother/daughter team Florence and Marita Littauer after they observed the lack of truly professional Christian speakers and writers in the Body of Christ at that time.
Because we serve a God of excellence, Florence and Marita wanted to help His people become communicators of excellence.
The Littauer's held a single conference aimed at teaching a handful of women to be Christian speakers. These were women they had encountered as they traveled around the country to Florence’s speaking engagements. The women had great potential. Some had been teaching Bible studies. Others had an amazing life-story to tell. But all had one thing in common: They needed some coaching and polish to be able to communicate effectively.
As one of the leading Christian women’s speakers in a yet undeveloped arena, Florence decided to use her love of the English language and her background as a high school and college speech teacher to help these women sharpen their skills. From that tiny seed, grew a series of conferences and a reputation as the leaders in Christian communication skills. Over the years the seminars and their content has changed and evolved to meet the needs of the attendees — which since have included both women and men.
Today, in 2009, Florence and Marita are both still a part of what CLASS has to offer — albeit in very different ways. Both are still speaking and writing while enjoying a retirement from the day-to-day management of the operation.
And the CLASSeminar has now trained more than 30,000 Christian men and women in the past twenty-eight years.
Recently, there have been some changes to CLASS to reflect the constantly changing Christian publishing marketplace. With the blessing of Florence Littauer, CLASServices released the oversight of the CLASSeminar to a new not-for-profit entity, CLASSeminars, Inc. Meeting for the first time, the Board of Directors of CLASSEMINARS, INC. named Gerry Wakeland of Albuquerque, New Mexico, President of the corporation. Florence Littauer was designated Founder of the new corporation and will name a Founder’s Board of Advisors within the next few months.
Wakeland brings a wealth of diverse expertise to her leadership role including corporate and non-profit management experience for organizations such as Sheraton, PacTel Cellular, and the Master Chorale of Orange County, California. Wakeland has wide experience in ministry positions including Women’s Ministry Director at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
CLASSEMINARS, INC is a 501c3 corporation which presents training seminars for authors, speakers, and leaders throughout the United States and internationally. The flagship seminar is The CLASSeminar, which will continue to train godly men and women to be speakers and writers of excellence. Other seminars provided by the new corporation will include personality workshops, writer’s conferences, book proposal workshops, and a number of new seminars to be piloted this year.
New seminars will cover writing, marketing, marriage, leadership, women’s ministry, and technology, as well as a future Express CLASSeminar which will be an intensive short-course presentation of the original seminar.
In addition to Wakeland, the Board named officers: Betty Southard, Newport Beach, California, as Executive Vice President, Robin Stanley of Orlando, Florida as Secretary, and Linda Jewell of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as Treasurer, and Karen Porter of Friendswood, Texas, as Vice President of Marketing. In addition to the officers, Tama Westman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was named Director of Communications, Steve and Julie Ferwerda of Lander, Wyoming, were named Directors of Internet Services.
The Board consists of Wakeland, Southard, Jewell, Stanley, Porter, and Fred Southard of Newport Beach, California, and John Thurman of Albuquerque New Mexico.
CLASSEMINARS INC. is a 501c3 corporation and is not affiliated with CLASServices, Inc.
Learn more about CLASS
CLASS, which stands for Christian Leaders, Authors, and Speakers Services, was launched by the mother/daughter team Florence and Marita Littauer after they observed the lack of truly professional Christian speakers and writers in the Body of Christ at that time.
Because we serve a God of excellence, Florence and Marita wanted to help His people become communicators of excellence.The Littauer's held a single conference aimed at teaching a handful of women to be Christian speakers. These were women they had encountered as they traveled around the country to Florence’s speaking engagements. The women had great potential. Some had been teaching Bible studies. Others had an amazing life-story to tell. But all had one thing in common: They needed some coaching and polish to be able to communicate effectively.
As one of the leading Christian women’s speakers in a yet undeveloped arena, Florence decided to use her love of the English language and her background as a high school and college speech teacher to help these women sharpen their skills. From that tiny seed, grew a series of conferences and a reputation as the leaders in Christian communication skills. Over the years the seminars and their content has changed and evolved to meet the needs of the attendees — which since have included both women and men.
Today, in 2009, Florence and Marita are both still a part of what CLASS has to offer — albeit in very different ways. Both are still speaking and writing while enjoying a retirement from the day-to-day management of the operation.
And the CLASSeminar has now trained more than 30,000 Christian men and women in the past twenty-eight years.
Recently, there have been some changes to CLASS to reflect the constantly changing Christian publishing marketplace. With the blessing of Florence Littauer, CLASServices released the oversight of the CLASSeminar to a new not-for-profit entity, CLASSeminars, Inc. Meeting for the first time, the Board of Directors of CLASSEMINARS, INC. named Gerry Wakeland of Albuquerque, New Mexico, President of the corporation. Florence Littauer was designated Founder of the new corporation and will name a Founder’s Board of Advisors within the next few months.Wakeland brings a wealth of diverse expertise to her leadership role including corporate and non-profit management experience for organizations such as Sheraton, PacTel Cellular, and the Master Chorale of Orange County, California. Wakeland has wide experience in ministry positions including Women’s Ministry Director at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
CLASSEMINARS, INC is a 501c3 corporation which presents training seminars for authors, speakers, and leaders throughout the United States and internationally. The flagship seminar is The CLASSeminar, which will continue to train godly men and women to be speakers and writers of excellence. Other seminars provided by the new corporation will include personality workshops, writer’s conferences, book proposal workshops, and a number of new seminars to be piloted this year.
New seminars will cover writing, marketing, marriage, leadership, women’s ministry, and technology, as well as a future Express CLASSeminar which will be an intensive short-course presentation of the original seminar.
In addition to Wakeland, the Board named officers: Betty Southard, Newport Beach, California, as Executive Vice President, Robin Stanley of Orlando, Florida as Secretary, and Linda Jewell of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as Treasurer, and Karen Porter of Friendswood, Texas, as Vice President of Marketing. In addition to the officers, Tama Westman of Minneapolis, Minnesota, was named Director of Communications, Steve and Julie Ferwerda of Lander, Wyoming, were named Directors of Internet Services.
The Board consists of Wakeland, Southard, Jewell, Stanley, Porter, and Fred Southard of Newport Beach, California, and John Thurman of Albuquerque New Mexico.
CLASSEMINARS INC. is a 501c3 corporation and is not affiliated with CLASServices, Inc.
Learn more about CLASS
More from Spiritual Life
More from ChurchWatch
More from Craig von Buseck
More from CBN's Christian World News
More from CBN News