This handbook is a very basic framework describing your role along with major responsibilities, suggestions and resources. The lay servant ministries are covered by paragraphs 266269 of the umc book of discipline and fall under the general board of discipleship gbod lay servants receive specialized training and provide support for clergy as well as serving in their local church or beyond. The book of discipline of the united methodist church states that the pastor shall be the chair of the group and a layperson shall be vicechair who may represent the committee at meetings of the church leadership. The lay leader encourages, teaches, exhorts, shepherds, and equips laity. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2008. How lay leadership roles and responsibilities are vital to. The book of discipline of the united methodist church is the product of over two hundred years of the general conferences of the denominations that now form the united methodist church. Lay leaders are voting members of all the aforementioned committees. The district lay leader is the elected leader of the district laity and shall be a professing member of a local church.
Visit cokesbury now to read the full free version today. Job description for lay leader connecting, teaching, living fort walton beach first umc. The district lay leader is a member of the conference board of laity. Frequently asked questions about certified lay ministry. To answer candidly, we need to recognize the role of laity in the church. Physical connection connect within conference connect within district. The conference lay leader is the elected leader of conference laity and has the responsibility for fostering awareness of the role of laity and enabling and supporting lay participation in the plan. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 20. Intended audience local church lay leaders all interested laity pastors c. The book of discipline defines your role as lay leader andor lay member and defines in broad terms the work of your congregation, the annual con ference, and. Mitch ross is the southwest district lay leader and is a certified lay speaker.
He is a member of the missouri conference core practices team. The district lay leader requirements shall include all references and duties assigned to district lay leader as cited in the 2016 book of discipline. The basic functions and factions of the church will be represented, per the book of discipline, on the new board. According to 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. Meet with the pastor, lay leader, and congregation members to discuss issues that will be a part of the annual conference business. According to church policies, the finance secretary serves as a member of the finance committee although he does not have a vote if he is a paid staff member. The united methodist church book of discipline outlines responsibilities for lay leaders, but that is the easy answer. How is a clm different from other recognized ministers. Book of discipline of the united methodist church, 127. The elected lay leader is the representative and coordinator of those lay leaders. Finance secretary responsibilities in the united methodist.
Through the year, this leader prepares and communicates the agenda for meetings, leads the meetings. That the peninsuladelaware conference again records its faith in the principle of rotation and adherence to the book of discipline of the united methodist church. Paragraph 271 in the 2008 book of discipline explains certified lay ministry, requirements, and service distinction. Half of the delegates are ministers and half are laypersons elected byeir th annual conferences throughout the world. Lay leaders east ohio conference of the united methodist. Free online editions of both the book of discipline and the book of resolutions are available from cokesbury. United methodist local church committee and officer. Lay leadership west virginia conference of the united.
Functions and responsibilities as listed in the book of discipline the sprc is the administrative unit in a local church where staff and congregational interests are integrated to. Sprc, finance, lay leader, young adults, and key ministries of the church. One of the members shall be a young adult and one member may be a youth. Lay leader lay member union united methodist church. Plan of organization and rules of order of the general confer ence, 2016 see judicial council decision 96, which declares the discipline to be a book of law. If, then, three members of the leadership team are designated as trustees, that requirement is satisfied. Beloved brethren, we deem it necessary to annex to our book of discipline, a brief statement of our rise and progress, which we hope will be satisfactory, and conducive to your edification and growth in the knowledge of our lord jesus christ. The role of a lay leaders is defined in paragraph 251. Work with the pastors, lay leader and others to fulfill the mission of making disciples of jesus christ for the transformation of the world. View the latest updates to the 2016 book of discipline. Certified lay ministry guidelines amazon web services. Staffpastor parish relations committee sprc required by the 2008 book of discipline of the united methodist church. Church lay leader manual florida annual conference.
A lay leader is a member of the laity in any congregation who has been chosen as a leader either by their peers or the leadership of the congregation. Where is this position mentioned in the book of discipline. There shall be a committee on finance, elected annually by the charge conference upon recommendation by the committee on nominations and leadership development or from the floor, composed of the chairperson. Only one person from an immediate family residing in the same household. The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2016. Certified lay ministers united methodist church of. The book of discipline defines the roles of lay leader and lay member andin broad termsthe work of your congregation, the annual conference, and the. Lay member of annual conference the book of discipline of the united methodist church 2008, part v, chapter 1, section vi. Fellow lay leaders, thanks for accepting the responsibility of serving your church as lay leader. The lay member of annual conference has a primary focus in linking the local church to the connectional united methodist church and gods worldwide church. When the pastor needs to know the temperament of the congregation, the lay leader is the barometer. A lay leader in the united methodist church serves as the primary lay or nonclergy representative of a local congregation. The book of discipline constitutes the law and doctrine of the united methodist church.
The book of discipline of the united methodist church 2016 share 258. When the church is called, the lay leader is the first to say yes. A clm is a unique, recognized lay servant in the united methodist church. Develop a general knowledge of the book of discipline. The lay leader is a member of the charge conference, the church council, the pastorparish or staffparish relations committee, the finance committee, and the nominations and leadership development committee. The united methodist publishing house nashville, tennessee. Be a resident of the district in which the lay leader lives and a member of a church in the district. Membership, leadership, and roles of the committee on nominations and leadership development. The book of discipline of the united methodist church states that the pastor shall be the chair of the group and a layperson shall be vicechair who may represent the committee at meetings of the church leadership team. The book of discipline outlines the roles of the elected lay leader in paragraph 251. That the committee on clergy and lay leadership be 28 32 persons. Elected by their conference, these church officials are charged by the book of discipline with specific responsibilities.
But what if a lay leader had no access to the book of discipline. A certified lay minister clm is a qualified united methodist layperson called to congregational leadership as part of a ministry team under the supervision of a clergy person, but who often serves the church in many other ways. Speak with your pastor or check your church library for a copy of the book of discipline. Organizing documents for unincorporated united methodist.
The conference lay leader has the responsibility for fostering awareness of the role of the laity both within the congregation and through their ministries in the home, workplace, community. Lay leaders are encouraged to become certified lay servants. Principal responsibilities include fostering an awareness of the role of the laity, meeting regularly with the pastor, assessing the opportunities for ministries within the church and serving on the church council and various. Conference lay leader report paragraph 607 of the book of discipline gives the conference lay leader several responsibilities. Handbook for lay leaders new york annual conference the united methodist church. From the january 2018 issue of the missouri methodists. The united methodist church book of discipline outlines responsibilities for lay leaders, but. Associate lay leaders may be elected to work with the lay leader in any local church. Paragraph 4 in the book of discipline states, the united methodist tradition has recognized that laypersons as well as ordained persons are gifted and called by god to lead the church. A certified lay minister is a certified lay servant, certified lay missioner, or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference, who is called and equipped to conduct public worship, care for the congregation, assist in program leadership, develop new and existing faith communities, preach the word, lead small groups, or establish community outreach. The greatest distinction is the connections they forge with and on behalf of the congregation. This includes participation as a member of several important committees or teams for your congregation. Purposethe church council shall provide for planning and.
He attends stockton united methodist church and has a passion for lay ministries and discipleship. In addition, the lay leader and a lay member of the annual conference shall be members. The book of discipline of the united methodist church leaves no. Lay leader lay member asbury united methodist church. The lay leader works with the pastor to fulfill the mission and vision of the.
Foundational documents, including the doctrinal statements and the social principles, are found in the what we believe section cokesbury, the retail arm of the united methodist publishing house, sells several versions of the discipline. The job description of the conference lay leader position can be found in the 2016 book of discipline, pages 419420, paragraph 607, and election procedure is described in the annual conference standing rules and operational procedures paragraph 2. For instance, the book of discipline requires the trustees to have a minimum of three members. Local church leadership guidelines the michigan conference. It was originally published in 1784, in the methodist episcopal church, and has been published every four years thereafter following the meeting of the general conference, which passes legislation that is included in the book of discipline. Also, the guidelines booklet from cokesbury titled lay leader lay member can be helpful to you. Single board model of governance brings benefits to. Kelly has seen the power of selfdirected work teams in the corporate world, which can make things happen without getting entangled in detours and roadblocks. The lay leader has a primary focus in linking the local church and community.
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