The Lay Ministry Development Team is a new initiative at St. Paul’s, beginning Fall 2010!
Click here to discover all of the Lay Ministry Opportunities at St. Paul’s!
Current LMD Team Vestry Liasons: Becky Paluzzi, Cathy McGlasson
Shared Ministry: Is it Really a New Paradigm?
There is a new movement in the Episcopal church to engage every member of the congregation in an activity variously called Shared Ministry, Mutual Ministry, or Baptismal Ministry, which enlists all Christians as ministers.
But, it isn’t a new idea. In fact, the early Christians, the earliest and oldest church we know about, operated entirely upon this model. It is a return to our Christian roots to consider each member of our church as an equal participant in the community of the body of Christ.
Is there a practical reason for doing this now?
Of course! The staff size of most churches is decreasing and there are many jobs to be done.
Is there a theological reason?
BINGO! Biblically, there is no such category as ‘lay ministry.’ All are ministers. The 1979 Book of Common Prayer charges us to mission and leadership. Both the Baptismal Covenant (p. 304-305) and An Outline of Faith: The Ministry (p. 855) make it clear that leadership in ministry belongs to each of us.
We live out our Baptismal Covenant in the world by our actions and words, by how we are observed to love each other (whether or not we agree with each other), and by the paths we take in our mission of bringing others to Christ.
Creating a healthy and thriving church home enables us to bring seekers and those in need into a safe and nurturing environment, giving them a Christian family. Jesus said, “Feed my sheep” and feeding includes being welcomed, taught, encouraged and supported in addition to being given meals.
How does this concern you?
Jesus called us and is calling us to transform the world. He sent the power of the Holy Spirit to enliven each of us to do God’s work in our world.
Perhaps you feel a ‘pull’ toward service but aren’t sure yet just how your gifts might be needed. Please feel free to contact our leaders and let them know you are willing and interested.
At some point, we, as a parish, will host a Gifts and Talents workshop to aid people in further discerning their individual gifts. However, our focus at the moment is on responding to the needs of our particular Christian community, preparing our church and its members for mission.
WORSHIP, SERVE, WITNESS.
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What are the types of licensed, canonical ministries?
There are six licensed, canonical ministries:
Eucharistic Minister (chalice bearer, serving at Communion)
Eucharistic Visitor ( taking Communion to those who are unable to come to church)
Worship Leader (regularly leading Morning/Evening Prayer)
Preacher
Pastoral Care Minister
Catechist
Eucharistic Ministers, Eucharistic Visitors and Worship Leaders may be trained by their local priest, who then recommends them to the Bishop for licensing. The Diocese also offers training periodically at various sites. Check the website: www.etdiocese.net .
Preachers, Pastoral Care Ministers and Catechists require a more extensive period of study offered by our Diocese and must be recommended by the Rector and the Vestry.
What are other types of ministries in our church?
Lay ministry opportunities typically require little, if any, training. Because we have many opportunities for Lay Ministry at St. Paul’s, we have an entire page dedicated to it: Lay Ministry Opportunities. If you go to this page, you’ll find a list of opportunities to serve at St. Paul’s. You can also go to our Help Wanted page to find out current needs from groups within our church!
If you would like to be a part of this new Lay Ministry Development Team initiative, post a comment below to sign up! It’s easy to post!
If you would like more information about this initiative, including a list of ministries at St. Paul’s with contact info, please contact Cathy McGlasson, cjmcglasson@yahoo.com, 239.7661, or Becki Paluzzi, paluzzir@etsu.edu, 534.4070 .
