The Role of the Laity in the Local Church

WSG District Lay Ministry Mission Statement As Laymen of the CME Church, our mission is to: Study to become equipped to teach Seek to encourage Share God’s Word Serve the church and the community

INTRODUCTION In defining the Role of the Laity in the Local Church, one must first know and understand the difference between laity and the lay council. Lay are those persons who are members of the CME Church and who are not ordained. Local lay members must make an affirmative election to join the local Lay Council. That is to say a layperson is not an automatic member of the Local Lay Council by virtue of status as a layperson unless a choice is made to unite in membership with the Council.

As laity, we must fully understand our role and our calling in the life of the church. The Lay Ministry is one of the most important components of the CME Church because without the lay, the church could not and would not function. First and foremost the primary role of the laity is to be an advocate and witness for Christ, and to be continually involved in learning about the church and community, to the end that the church grows in fulfilling its mission.

The Lay Ministry Beliefs Of: Studying Seeking Sharing Serving should be a part of every layperson’s conscious.

STUDY To show thyself knowledgeable, be one who is continually growing in the understanding and the interpretation of God’s Word, and of the procedures, organizational structure, history, laws, and doctrines of the CME Church.

STUDY The Holy Bible and attend Bible Study and Sunday School The Discipline of the CME Church Parliamentary procedure The history of the CME Church Support the development of a vigorous teaching ministry.

Why we study: We study and learn in order to equip ourselves and to teach others. Studying increases understanding; stimulates spiritual growth; builds and strengthens confidence; and helps to light the path on ones way to helping others.

SEEK Seek God first and in all things, seek out lost and misdirected souls. Seek out fellow lay men and lay women who have become discouraged and now need a helping hand or a word of encouragement.

SEEK To inspire other members to become more informed about the church. To make Christian commitment increasingly more meaningful as it relates to ones whole life. To develop personal evangelism.

We must have a reaching-seeking attitude; seeking God in all of his righteousness will not allow us to stay preoccupied with ourselves and our own selfish desires. The local church is where our labor should be constant, always being on watch for ways to do our part in helping to perfect others.

SHARE and give back to God and his church a portion of that which only God, himself, can give. As laity we must accept the role of bringing about a greater awareness and commitment, among members, through the grace of giving.

SHARE In ways that will inspire others to become more informed and committed to the church. Personal treasures, time, and talent in the development of a tithing program. Positive thoughts and encourage financial support of the Church’s programs.

SERVE Mankind through God’s church by taking on the attitude of one who looks to serve rather than one who expects to be served. The layman’s role is that of a servant who models by percept and example.

SERVE Well and promote Christian Stewardship. Serve so that others may grow in confidence; support the development of lay speakers. Serve in a way that promotes and maintains a good working relationship between pastor and laity. Our service should be our badge. To serve with a glad heart pleases God and strengthens the Church.

If the local church is to be strong and vibrant, laity must wear the role of tither, embodied by the Stewardship of Time and Stewardship of Talents.

Lay Ministry Objectives: To study the Holy Bible To engage in ministries yet unfulfilled in the local church To promote Christian Stewardship To study the Discipline of the C.M.E. Church To establish a sound financial system To inspire other members to become informed about the Church To assist in developing a tithing program To make Christian commitment increasingly more meaningful as it relates to a person’s whole life,

Lay Objectives (continued) To help develop personal evangelism To develop a lay speaking bureau To study parliamentary procedure To study the history of the C.M.E. Church To maintain a good working relationship between pastor and laity To encourage financial support of the Church’s programs To develop a vigorous lay teaching ministry

How Can We Make A Difference? Every local church should at all times have a representative present at the local, district, regional lay meetings, district, and annual conferences. Each local church should, when possible, send a representative to the Connectional Lay Institute and other Connectional meetings. We must unite and become involved in what is going on and let our voices be heard. Then and only then will we see change.

Conclusion: We must provide the time. If we want to use our bodies in partnership with God, we must build time for ministry in our schedules. This takes self-control. We must provide the skills—this means that the right people will be in the right places for the right reasons doing the right things. Successful lay ministry will come when we learn to listen to all people, we must become community outreach stations, and we must be committed in our work and we must become

equipping and sending stations where we train and equip persons for ministry and send them out into the community for mission and ministry. Lay people are not lazy, we just need purpose, motivation, and direction. We must reemphasize the importance of the lay ministry in our church. We must also emphasize that the laity is seeking only to participate in all phases of church work in the Methodist tradition and NOT to exercise CONTROL. It has been found that many of the problems relating to clergy-lay relationship come from misunderstandings.

The Lay Ministry, in every instance, should be directed toward improving the total church program. It has also been found that ministers are more cooperative when there is a feeling of mutual trust. In order to be effective in Lay Ministry, we must be willing to serve; have the desire to grow; a willingness to change and accept change; have the ability to dream and see possibilities for service in our churches; and most of all, we must have a love for Christ.

References: Connectional Lay Council Program of Study by Clifford L. Harris Lay Manual of the Department of Lay Ministry The Book of Discipline of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 2006 Compiled by Severne Budd, WSG District Lay Leader