Bi-District Lay Servant Ministries Training for 2014:
Lay Servant Ministries Training at Great Falls UMC on March 28-29, 2014. This event, open to all (Alexandria and Arlington Districts) is a 2-day training that will offer either the Basic training or UM Polity. Info about texts etc will be posted shortly. To register on line with your credit card, please click here.
Click here for mail in registration for this event.
What Is Lay Servant Ministries?
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To all Lay Speakers: The 2012 General Conference of The United Methodist Church adopted several resolutions that have changed both the name and scope of Lay Speaking Ministries to Lay Servant Ministries. The term “lay speaker” had developed the connotation of preaching and, for this reason, many potential leaders had avoided the leadership training that could develop their skills and enhance their spiritual gifts. We are called to be servants of Jesus Christ and servant leaders; therefore the name Lay Servant and Lay Servant Ministries seems very appropriate for this ministry of leading, caring and communicating. See Current Flyer in attachments.
What happens now? Effective immediately, if you are already a Local Church Lay Speaker, you will automatically become a Local Church Lay Servant. If you are already a Certified Lay Speaker, you will become a Certified Lay Servant. You will still have the same requirements for turning in an Annual Report to your local charge conference and continuing education requirements. The General Conference also adopted a new position of Lay Speaker within the Lay Servant Ministries program. This will have stricter training requirements than in the past. See word documentation on certification.
What is Lay Servant Ministries? Lay servant ministry is a United Methodist system for lay leadership development. The basic and advanced courses are designed to help persons develop their skills in leadership, communication, and care-giving. Participating in this training as it is offered helps you build relationships with other lay leaders. In this way you increase opportunity for yourself and for your congregation to be in ministry with others, your credibility as a leader is enhanced.
According to the The Book of Discipline, a lay servant is a professing member of a local church or charge conference who is “ready and desirous to serve the Church and who is well informed on and committed to the Scriptures and the doctrine, heritage, organization and life of The United Methodist Church.” A lay servant “has received specific training to develop skills in witnessing to the Christian faith through spoken communication, church and community leadership, and care-giving ministries.”
Downloadable Resources
Lay Servant Certification Process as of March 2013
Lay Servant Requirements as of March 2013
Lay Servant/Lay Speaker Record
Lay Speaker Profile Sheet 2013
Lay Servant Report to Conference – writeable pdf
Lay Speaker’s Report to Charge Conference Form 19
Arlington District LSM Overview as of April 2013
Lay Speaking – Presentation Feedback Form March 2013
GBOD brochure for Lay Servant Ministries
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