Jim Nibbelink is currently Lay Leader of the Desert Southwest Conference. He has served as President of the Association of Conference Directors of Lay Speaking Ministries for the General Board of Discipleship and is a former Lay Leader of the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Jim and his wife Judi have been active in United Methodist congregations all across the United States. Judi is serving as a Director of the Women's Division and the General Board of Global Ministries. Jim has served in many positions of leadership in local churches, as well as having District, Conference and General Church responsibilities.
He is a member of the Desert Southwest delegation to the 2008 General and Western Jurisdictional Conferences. While living in Ohio, Jim was a member of two General Conference delegations and three Jurisdictional Conference delegations. Jim received a special honor when he was selected to prepare and deliver the Laity Address at the 2000 General Conference of the United Methodist Church.
Jim enjoys facilitating adult Bible studies and courses in Christian theology. He has served as an instructor for many church and community seminars on a wide variety of subjects, including the power of visioning and partnership ministry, and has taught at both the General Board of Discipleship and the World Methodist Conference. Jim has led many Advanced Classes in Lay Speaking, covering all aspects of the Lay Speaking Ministries. Other experiences include teaching at the West Ohio and Desert Southwest Schools of Christian Mission, preaching at the Detroit, Western New York, Western North Carolina, Rocky Mountain and Kansas West Annual Conferences and delivering several Lay Addresses at the West Ohio Annual Conference.
Retired from Procter and Gamble, Jim worked in the company's paper, food and beverage manufacturing businesses. His work has included leading personal development and quality management seminars, plus consulting in the areas of personal empowerment and creating organizational vision. Jim is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point. As a result of military service and his P&G work, Jim has lived in several states and a number of locations outside of the United States. Jim is an avid skier and enjoys many outdoor activities in addition to the "indoor sports" of singing, genealogy and model railroading. Jim and Judi share a love of travel and are always looking forward to their next adventure.
Jim and Judi have found the connectional nature of the United Methodist Church to be particularly important and supportive, providing a feeling of home, friends and family wherever they have been asked to live.