ministries

Certified Lay Servants

A certified lay servant is a professing member of a local church or charge or a baptized participant of a recognized United Methodist collegiate ministry or other United Methodist ministry setting who desires to serve the church and who knows and is committed to Scripture and the doctrine, heritage, organization, and life of The United Methodist Church.  This is a person who has received specific training to witness to the Christian faith through spoken communication, to lead within a church and community, and to provide caring ministry.

Click here for Lay Servant Ministry Forms.
Click here for Lay Servant Courses.

The certified lay servant serves the local church or charge (or beyond the local church or charge) in ways in which his or her witness, leadership, and service inspires others to a deeper commitment to Christ and more effective discipleship. The certified lay servant, through continued study and training, should prepare to undertake one or more of the following functions, giving primary attention to service within the local church or charge, United Methodist collegiate ministry, or other United Methodist ministry setting:

• Provides program leadership, assistance, and support.
• Leads meetings for prayer, training, study, and discussion.
• Conducts, or assists in conducting, services of worship, preaches the Word, or gives addresses.
• Provides congregational and community leadership and fosters caring ministries.
• Assist in the distribution of the elements of Holy.
• Teaches the Scriptures, doctrine, organization, and ministries of The United Methodist Church.

Requirements for certification:

• Pastor and church council or charge conference recommendation.
• Lay Servant Ministries BASIC course.
• Lay Servant Ministries advanced course.
• District committee on Lay Servant Ministries approval.

Requirements for renewal:

• Annual report & renewal application.
• Pastor and church council or charge conference recommendation.
• Lay Servant Ministries advanced course in the last three years.
• District committee on Lay Servant Ministries approval.