Anyone know how to become Methodist Lay Speaker/Pastor?

[jangnim]

Can anyone help me with the details of how to become a Certified Lay speak/lay pastor?


Years ago I did some of the work required with my Grandfather, and I am of an age now where I would like to finish it.

 

[Origen]

Can anyone help me with the details of how to become a Certified Lay speak/lay pastor?


Years ago I did some of the work required with my Grandfather, and I am of an age now where I would like to finish it.

The first step is to take the Basic Course. Completion of the Basic Course will qualify you as a Local Church Lay Speaker. To become a Certified Lay Speaker, able to preach throughout your Conference, you need to take one or more of the Advanced Courses. Talk to your Pastor or District Superintendent and find out who is your District Lay Speaking Coordinator.

For more information, I'd recommend this site, except that it seems to be down just now: http://www.layspeaking.org/ .

You can also find the Course materials at the General Board of Discipleship.

 

[jangnim]

How involved will my pastor be in all of this? Who all must I interact with, in order to proceed? I contacted my Bishops office, and was directed to the correct person.

 

[Gwynne]

How involved will my pastor be in all of this? Who all must I interact with, in order to proceed? I contacted my Bishops office, and was directed to the correct person.

That really depends on the pastor. In my church, the pastor (who is now leaving ) is/was very involved in encouraging lay speakers. Often he would bring the idea up to a person he felt would benefit from the program. Not sure how our new pastor will be, still not even sure who our new pastor will be...

 

[ChrisLockhart]

I'm very interested in this as well, so I'm glad the thread was started. I wish I had something to add.. but thanks.

 

[ClementofRome]

Where is herev when you need him?

 

[AngelAmidala]

I'm not herev....but I was a Certified Lay Speaker. I say was because once you become one...you have to take another advanced course every 3 years to keep the certification up. And they were either offering ones I wasn't interested in...or they were too far away....or I just couldn't fit it into my schedule....so...I'll just be a local lay speaker until I can take the required advanced course again.

I think what Gwynne said is true about pastors being involved. When I wanted to become a lay speaker...my pastor was very encouraging of me, as well as others in my church pursuing the same thing. But I'm not sure if my past pastors felt the same way about the lay speaking program.

 

[herev]

herev finally checks in--everything looks good to me!!
Lay pastors technically are to be recommended by the Staff Parish Relations Committee and the Charge Conference--and should always be encouraged by the pastor. The pastor should help make arrangements for the lay speaker to speak in the home church and others if willing. The pastor should make sure that the lay speaker's certification is up to date. All of this, of course if the lay speaker's responsibility, but the pastor should assist them, encourage them, and support them.

 

[Iacobus]

Can anyone help me with the details of how to become a Certified Lay speak/lay pastor?


Years ago I did some of the work required with my Grandfather, and I am of an age now where I would like to finish it.

Hi Jangnim

Until a few years ago, I was a local pastor, and before that a lay speaker. Others have talked about the lay speaker process already. When I decided to pursue being a local pastor, I approached my own pastor about it. I went through a fairly lengthy discernment process with him, plus an interview with the DS, a visit to a psychologist to see if I had skeletons in the closet, and an interview with the pastor-parish relations committee at my home church. All of that took about six months, before I went to local pastor's school for two weeks. In my case, that was at Lake Junaluska.

Once I completed everything, I was appointed assistant pastor at a two point charge, and also had the opportunity to preach at most of the local churches. It was very rewarding. If you feel led in that direction, I would speak to your pastor about starting the process.

In Christ,

James

 

[herev]

Hi Jangnim

Until a few years ago, I was a local pastor, and before that a lay speaker. Others have talked about the lay speaker process already. When I decided to pursue being a local pastor, I approached my own pastor about it. I went through a fairly lengthy discernment process with him, plus an interview with the DS, a visit to a psychologist to see if I had skeletons in the closet, and an interview with the pastor-parish relations committee at my home church. All of that took about six months, before I went to local pastor's school for two weeks. In my case, that was at Lake Junaluska.

Once I completed everything, I was appointed assistant pastor at a two point charge, and also had the opportunity to preach at most of the local churches. It was very rewarding. If you feel led in that direction, I would speak to your pastor about starting the process.

In Christ,

James

james, when were you in LPS? and was this in the WNCC?

 

[Iacobus]

james, when were you in LPS? and was this in the WNCC?

Hi Herev

I was in LPS in 2001, and then served in the WNCC. In my class at LPS, we had candidates from some other conferences as well. I remember people from eastern North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland and Kentucky. It was a great experience!

James

 

[herev]

Hi Herev

I was in LPS in 2001, and then served in the WNCC. In my class at LPS, we had candidates from some other conferences as well. I remember people from eastern North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland and Kentucky. It was a great experience!

James

so you were there with Dale Bost, Ruth Atkinson, Stan Champion, Phyllis Coates, Karen Kurtz, Tom Mabry, Millie Orbison? I know them all--Dale is my cousin and Stan followed me at my first appointment. I am in the same district with all of those but Phyllis and go to school with all of them except Ruth, Karen, and Millie. Where are you now, I notice you said you served in the WNCC?
Cool, small world, huh?

 

[Iacobus]

so you were there with Dale Bost, Ruth Atkinson, Stan Champion, Phyllis Coates, Karen Kurtz, Tom Mabry, Millie Orbison? I know them all--Dale is my cousin and Stan followed me at my first appointment. I am in the same district with all of those but Phyllis and go to school with all of them except Ruth, Karen, and Millie. Where are you now, I notice you said you served in the WNCC?
Cool, small world, huh?

It is a small world! Most of those names are familiar to me. At my age, my memory is not what it was, but I want to say that last time I talked to Stan he was assigned to a church in High Point? Salisbury? I forget which, but he was working hard at it. I remember Ruth, Phyllis and Millie (was Millie the one involved with the Hispanic ministry in the piedmont?), and the others sound familiar. My class was a great bunch, and a lot of fun.

The past tense "served" is accurate. As you can see by my avatar, I entered the Orthodox Church. I didn't have any particular issues with the UMC, I simply found something that knocked my socks off. It was really tough leaving my churches -- great people and great churches. Since then, I've had to start over from square one, but I'm going to our diocesan seminary near Pittsburgh once a month, and feeling out the clergy route in my new church. We'll see what happens.

James

 

[herev]

It is a small world! Most of those names are familiar to me. At my age, my memory is not what it was, but I want to say that last time I talked to Stan he was assigned to a church in High Point? Salisbury? I forget which, but he was working hard at it. I remember Ruth, Phyllis and Millie (was Millie the one involved with the Hispanic ministry in the piedmont?), and the others sound familiar. My class was a great bunch, and a lot of fun.

The past tense "served" is accurate. As you can see by my avatar, I entered the Orthodox Church. I didn't have any particular issues with the UMC, I simply found something that knocked my socks off. It was really tough leaving my churches -- great people and great churches. Since then, I've had to start over from square one, but I'm going to our diocesan seminary near Pittsburgh once a month, and feeling out the clergy route in my new church. We'll see what happens.

James

yes, Stan is in Salisbury. He's been battling cancer for the last year or so, but his spirits are good and his health seems better right now. Millie was the one involved in the hispanic ministries in Concord. She is now at a two point charge in Rowan County. I hope you are richly blessed in the Orthodox church and that seminary is as good for you as it is for me.
Tommy