THE LAY SERVANT PROCESS:
Local
Church Lay Servant (LCLS): completed only the Basic Course.
According to the 2016 Discipline this category no longer exists. Current
Local Church LS are not required to submit an Annual Report at their Charge Conference,
but is ok to do so. Local Lay Servants are encouraged, however, to prayerfully
consider renewing with an Advanced Course after three (3) years.
Certified
Lay Servant (CLS): Has (1) completed the Basic Course AND (2) an Advanced Course
(renewing every three (3) years. CLS is required to submit an Annual Report at
Charge Conference every year (regardless if you’ve taken a class that year or
not). Is approved annually by Pastor, Church Council/Conference, and District
LSM Committee/Director(s). Always include (in an appropriate section such as
where the report asks for resources you need to better fulfill your role) (a)
your willingness to be utilized in “other churches” as might needed OR (b) your
desire to serve “only home church.”
Certified
Lay Speaker (CLSp): Has completed (1) the Basic Course and (2) six (6) additional
required courses (2a) Preaching (2b) Leading Worship) (2c) Leading Prayer (2d)
Spiritual Gifts (2e) United Methodist Polity and (2f) United Methodist
Heritage. Occasionally, the Conference may approve an additional course and
require it of candidates. The
prospective Lay Speaker is approved by the District Committee on Lay Servant
Ministries and finally by the Oklahoma Conference on LSM Committee. The CLSp
continues to submit annual reports to the Pastor and Charge conference and
renews every three (3) years.
Certified
Lay Minister (CLM): At the 2016 General
Conference legislation was passed that places three areas of lay service under
the Lay Servant Ministries umbrella: Certified Lay Servant, Certified Lay
Speaker, and Certified Lay Minister. A
useful chart (https://gbod-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/kintera-files/laity/LSM_InfoSheet2016.pdf
) explains the three tracks and provides more details on the CLM. To become a
CLM: (1) Certified as a lay servant, lay missioner (or equivalent as defined by
his or her central conference) (2)
Receive a Pastor and church council or charge conference recommendation (3)
Completion of a track of study as defined in ¶268 of the Book of Discipline [BOD](4) Receive
District Superintendent recommendation (5) have the Appropriate screening &
assessment and (5) interview with/be recommended by district committee on
Ordained Ministry (6) meet with Conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries
for approval.
Updates:
·
Basic
and Advanced are open to anyone (teens or adults)
·
Anyone
can take the Advanced Course (they need not be pursuing the CLM) If they select
to do that they are encourage to take the Basic at the next available
opportunity. Those taking Advanced Courses will receive a “Certificate of
Completion.”
·
Current
Approved Advanced Courses include: the Discipleship Ministries courses
(identified titles offered through Upper Room and Cokesbury); EQUIO Class, led
by Rev. Sonja Tobey; 3 seminary Lite Courses (count as 1 advanced class):
Conference approved courses (as identified).
Resources:
·
Discipleship
Ministries has information and links to resources at https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/leadership-resources/lay-servant-ministries
or call 800-972-0433 (Equipping Resources Catalog #M184) or
Bookstore. UpperRoom.org
·
Read
the 2016 Legislation here (https://gbod-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/legacy/kintera-files/laity/LSM_ADOPTED-LEGISLATION-GC2016.pdf
)
·
Online
courses are available at BeADisciple.com (Look for those labeled for LSM;
notify district director on completion so your district records can be updated.
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