Lay Servant

posted on July 22

Lay Servant Ministries, Heartland District
Lay Servant Ministries serves to help enlist, train, guide and support lay servants as they equip others "for the work of ministry, for the building up the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12). We are all called to serve, using our gifts and talents to glorify God. The three main tenets are leading, caring and communicating.

Lay Servant ministry leadership has many forms. It can include leading Bible studies and mission trips, and it can also include leading the ministries of the church. Lay Servants show care in all they do. They participate in caring and visitation ministries, welcome strangers and new members, start new caring ministries for the community and much more. And Lay Servants are called to share the good news of Jesus with others. This comes in many forms, sometimes in a pulpit and sometimes in living out their faith in their daily lives.

Lay Servant Ministry Coordinators serve Districts and Conferences throughout the United Methodist system. Coordinators, with the help of the District Lay Leaders and District Superintendent, identify the need for new educational opportunities for laity. They organize such events, make laity aware of events in other districts, and report changes to the Lay Servant ministry via Jurisdictional and General Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Courses are offered throughout the state at different times of the year, and the annual School of Lay Ministry is held each July. There are also online courses offered through Disciple Ministries. Some examples of online courses include, "Connecting and Leading Lay Volunteers in Ministry"; "Creating A Digital Ministry Workshop"; "Evangelism: How To Love Your Neighbors To Christ"; "Congregational Leadership-Church Administration"; and many more. Please visit www.beadisciple.com to see course offerings. You can also visit www.moumethodist.org/layservantministries to learn more about Lay Servant ministries.

The District Lay Servant Ministry Coordinator is also responsible for keeping track of Lay Servant ministry courses taken by laity within the District. Email Yvette Richards at St. James UMC for more information.
 

Lay Servant's Annual Report

Click the link to view the Lay Speaker's Annual Report form for the report of the Lay Speaker to charge conference.