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Certified Lay Speaker

Role

The Certified Lay Speaker serves by preaching the Word when requested by the pastor or lay leadership team of a local church, or by the district superintendent.

Contact Person

Rev. Sheila Miranda (smiranda@pnwumc.org)

Certification Process

Those who are interested in becoming a Certified Lay Speaker should follow these steps:

  1. Speak with the pastor of your local church or with your district superintendent about your call to this ministry.
  2. Become certified as Certified Lay Servant.
  3. Complete a track of study that includes courses on leading worship, leading prayer, discovering spiritual gifts, preaching, United Methodist heritage and polity, and other courses as determined by the Conference Committee on Certified Lay Ministries (see the list of courses below).
  4. Receive recommendations from your church pastor and your administrative council or charge conference to pursue certification.
  5. Apply to become a Certified Lay Speaker using this form:
    Application for certification as a lay speaker
    This completed form should be sent to the district administrator with all other charge conference forms. The district administrator will forward a copy of this form to the Conference Committee on Certified Lay Ministries (currently, John Townsend, ranger.jt.townsend@gmail.com).
  6. Interview with and obtain a recommendation from the Conference Committee on Certified Lay Ministries for approval and certification. The committee may request a recording of a recently delivered sermon.

Recertification Process

  1. Submit an annual report to the charge conference or administrative council giving evidence of satisfactory performance as a Certified Lay Speaker. This report will be submitted to the district administrator along with all other charge conference reports. The district administrator will forward the report to the Conference Committee on Certified Lay Ministries.
  2. Complete a Lay Servant Ministries advanced course at least every three years.
  3. Every three years, interview with and obtain a recommendation for renewal as a Certified Lay Speaker from the Conference Committee on Certified Lay Ministries.

Required Coursework for Certified Lay Speakers

In addition to the Introduction to Ministry: Basic Course, Certified Lay Speakers will complete a track that includes one course from each of the following subject categories:

  1. Leading Worship
    • Your Ministry of Planning and Leading Worship
  2. Leading Prayer
    • Leading Public Prayer
  3. Discovering Spiritual Gifts
    • Rediscovering Our Spiritual Gifts
  4. Preaching
    • Called to Preach
    • From Your Heart to Theirs: Delivering an Effective Sermon
  5. United Methodist Heritage
    • Living Our United Methodist Beliefs
  6. United Methodist Polity
    • Life Together in the United Methodist Connection

These courses are offered online through Be A Disciple.

Please note: Any one of these courses fulfills the requirement for one Lay Ministries Advanced Course to be certified as a lay servant.

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