Harrisonburg District
Lay Servants

(Formerly Lay Speaking Ministries)

Last Updated September 4

 

Oct 20 (Saturday) – Basic & Advanced Lay Speaking/Servants Courses, Manor Memorial UMC-New Market, Basic Course: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.; Advanced Course, 9:00 a.m.— 12:00 noon* Lay Servants (Speakers) are a valuable asset to any church.  Just last Sunday one had to step into the pulpit at the last moment because of a death in the pastor’s family.  I happened to be attending and the transition went very well.  You have a deficiency in your church leadership when you do not have one or more Lay Servants in your congregation. We work hard at keeping the district Lay Servants trained and prepared to step in at any time where they are needed, be it preaching, conducting worship, teaching, or visiting the ill or shut-ins, just to name a few. 

To that end, we are offering three classes at Manor Memorial on Saturday, October 20.  They are:

Basic Lay Servant Course, 9 am – 5 pm – taught by Bruce Johnson and myself (This is for laity who are not Lay Servants but want to be or want to explore the possibility of becoming one and Local Church Lay Servants who have not taken a course in three years)

Advanced Lay Servant Course on Evangelism, 9 am – 5 pm, taught by Bob and Carrie Talbott

Advanced Lay Servant Course on Preaching, 9 am – noon, taught by Tommy Herndon

 I encourage you to think about the strong leaders in your congregation and approach one or more to talk about becoming a Lay Servant.  I ESPECIALLY encourage those without any Lay Servants in the congregation. To register for any of these classes or for more information, I can be reached at 476-4536 (c) or 433-2382 (o). God bless you in your search, Glen

District Lay Servants Ministry:

The District Lay Speakers committee has a new name. It is District Lay Servants Ministry Committee. Part of the committee met with our District Superintendent on January 12th to discuss plans for this new year. There will be some changes this year and we are  excited about them. We feel that both the basic and advance Lay Speaking classes need to emphasize preaching and being a liturgist, so we are taking a different approach. On April 21st, Basic Class will be led by Rev. Glen Langston and the Advanced Class will be led by Rev. Tommy Herndon. On May 5th, the Basic Class will be led by Rev. Bruce Johnson and the Advanced Class will be led by Rev. Bob Talbott and Rev. Carrie Talbott. The first session of the Advanced Class will concentrate on preparation of the message. The second section will be break out sessions, for the presentation. The locations will be announced shortly. Please call the District Office, 540-433-2382, to sign up for the Basic or Advanced Classes.

Martie &Charlie Bruce

Co-Lay Servants Ministry Directors

General Overview

One of the most exciting ministries of The United Methodist Church is its training and empowerment of the laity to serve. Lay persons have had a vital role in the United Methodist Church since 1729. John Wesley (1703-1791), regarded as the founder of Methodism, broke new ground with his use of lay persons as class leaders, exhorters, and lay preachers. The lay speakers of today are direct descendants of the laity whom Wesley empowered in the work of making disciples.

Lay Speaking is not just filling pulpits. Lay Speaking Ministries as defined in the Book of Discipline offers wonderful possibilities for expanding the work of lay speakers. The classes described below suggest many areas of ministry as well as offering ideas for expanding the role beyond what we have traditionally understood.

The whole issue of how Lay Speaking Ministers can assist our congregations and communities is limited only by your imagination and willingness to serve as a representative of Jesus Christ.

A Lay Speaker is:

§ An active, supportive member of a United Methodist Church

§ Eager to serve through the church

§ Well-informed on the scripture, and the doctrine, heritage,  organization, and life of The United Methodist Church

§ Committed to witnessing through church and community leadership,   care-giving ministries, and spoken communication; and

§ Willing to improve his/her skills for service.

Local Church Lay Speakers

serve in and through their local churches. To be recognized as local church lay speakers, they must be recommended by their pastor and Administrative Council/Board, and complete the basic course for Lay Speaking. Each year they must reapply, reporting how they have served and continued to learn during that year.

Certified Lay Speakers

serve in their own churches, in other churches, and through district or conference projects and programs. To be recognized as Certified Lay Speakers, they must be recommended, complete the basic course and one advanced lay speaking course, and be interviewed by the District or Conference Committee on Lay Speaking. They must report and reapply annually. They must complete at least one additional advanced course every three years.

Lay Speaking in Our District

The Harrisonburg District has 55 certified Lay Speakers and 32 Local Church Lay Speakers. Lay Speakers perform a vital ministry for the district, often called upon in emergencies and with short notice to lead services and to share the gospel message. On the Harrisonburg District some charges could not have services each Sunday without the dedicated efforts of this faithful group of men and women.

How to find out more

Lay Speaking courses are typically held in various locations in Virginia during the spring and fall. Each course consists of ten classroom hours. This may be offered as a three-session schedule, a two-session schedule, or a weekend retreat. Each Spring, an extensive weekend school for Lay Speakers is held at the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center in Blackstone. The Basic Course and a choice of ten or more Advanced Courses are offered each year.  Feel free to contact Rev. Tommy Herndon, District Superintendent, or Judy Liskey, Chairperson, District Committee on Lay Speaking, or any member of the Committee.

You MUST complete the Lay Speaking Ministries Report EVERY YEAR

Lay Speaking Ministries Report  For Charge Conference

To be given to Pastor prior to your Charge Conference and must be included with Charge Conference packet for District Office.
Choose your type of file:

Other Lay Speaking Forms and Resources

Lay Speakers are required to take one advanced course  every 3 years!!  When  are you due for a course?

Contact Glen or Judy Liskey

540-852-3464

or

Martie or Charlie Bruce

540-856-2758