1. L AY L EADER / L AY M EMBER 2013-2016 Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation Connecting Your Congregation and Your Annual Conference

2. C ALLED TO A M INISTRY OF F AITHFULNESS AND V ITALITY Leadership in Vital Ministry The Church’s Vision Assessing Your Efforts The Mission of the UMC

3. O UR P RIMARY T ASK ¶ 243 The Book of Discipline

4. C ALLED TO S PIRITUAL L EADERSHI P By virtue of our baptism Ministry vs. “ a job”

5. T HE U NITED M ETHODIST B OOK OF D ISCIPLINE

6. T HE R OLE OF L AY L EADER

7. L AY L EADER /L AY M EMBER Interpreting actions and programs of the annual conference and the general church Communicating the vision and needs of the local church to the annual conference and general church

8. L AY L EADER R ESPONSIBILITIES - P ARAGRAPH 251- 2012 B OOK OF D ISCIPLINE Advocacy Modeling Discipleship Building awareness Recognize and celebrate the ministry of the laity Meet with the pastor Serve on various committees Assist the church council Continue to study Inform the laity of educational opportunities

9. Representing the Laity

10. M ODELING D ISCIPLESHIP

11. W ESLEYAN C LASS M EETINGS The Holy Club

12. FOSTER THE MINISTRY OF THE LAITY Building Awareness

13. Recognize and Celebrate the Ministry of the Laity Laity Sunday – Third Sunday in October Laity Sun poster

14. R ECOGNIZE AND C ELEBRATE THE M INISTRY OF THE L AITY Recognize lay speakers Promote service opportunities

15. R ECOGNIZE AND C ELEBRATE THE M INISTRY OF THE L AITY Recognize ministries in daily life

16. M EET WITH THE PASTOR R EGULARLY Re: State of the congregation Needs for ministry Prayer for each other

17. N EW W AYS TO W ORK ; S HARED M INISTRY No ministry is subservient to another Sent by Christ to live and work together - clergy and laity Guiding congregation through change Covenant for Leadership

18. G UIDELINES F OR D IALOGUE WITH YOUR P ASTOR Listen Be courageous Don’t be defensive Be honest and kind

19. S ERVE ON C OMMITTEES Charge Conference Church Council Finance Committee Lay Leadership Committee Staff Parish Relations/ Pastor Parish Relations Committee

20. C ONTINUOUS STUDY

21. A SSIST THE C OUNCIL Ministry Beyond the Walls and Windows

22. D ISTRICT AND C ONFERENCE L AY L EADERS Your counterparts and leaders on a district or conference level

23. R EFLECTION

24. Purple Street Church is not just any church, It ’ s a United Methodist Church …. Courtesy of UMCOM The UMC: A “Connectional” Church

25. …and it’s part of the District… …and it’s part of the District… Courtesy of UMCOM

26. …which is part of the Annual Conference… Courtesy of UMCOM

27. …which is part of the Jurisdiction… Courtesy of UMCOM

28. …which is part of the United Methodist Church, which is really… …a global church, with conferences and members in Africa, Europe, and the Philippines. Courtesy of UMCOM

29. R ESPONSIBILITIES AS L AY M EMBER OF A NNUAL C ONFERENCE Participate in all sessions and vote Report to the congregation Interpret actions taken at annual conference Serve on Church Council, SPR/PPR, and Finance Committee

30. ANNUAL CONFERENCE – TWO MEANINGS Geographic area with assigned bishop. The annual meeting of lay and clergy members of the geographical area (Annual Conference Session)

31. P REPARING FOR A NNUAL C ONFERENCE Study Attend district meetings Understand the process The Book of Discipline Discuss issues

32. P ARTICIPATE D URING A NNUAL C ONFERENCE Attend laity sessions Participate in all other sessions Listen Worship Attend Bible study Explore

33. J OURNALING : Reflections about; Proceedings Discussions Worship Special ceremonies Music

34. S ERVE AFTER A NNUAL C ONFERENCE Share information Celebrate the opportunity and accomplishments

35. G ENERAL C ONFERENCE 2016 Portland Oregon- May 10-20

36. J URISDICTIONAL C ONFERENCE Held after General Conference Delegates elected with General Conference Delegates Election of bishops Other Jurisdictional business

37. R EFLECTION

38. I MPROVING Y OUR L EADERSHIP Servant Leadership Spiritual Disciplines Accountability Spiritual Gifts Lay Servant Ministries Christian conferencing Communication Skills Leading Change Evaluating Your Leadership

39. S ERVANT L EADERSHIP Mt. 20:25-28 The United Methodist Book of Discipline Part IV. Sections III. - V.

40. SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES Prayer Searching the Scriptures Holy Communion Fasting Christian Conferencing Worship Devotions Works of Piety and Mercy Means of Grace

41. “ O begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises..Wheth er you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way: else you will be a trifler all your days.” John Wesley Spiritual Disciplines

42. T HE U NITED M ETHODIST R ULE OF L IFE The General Rules First: Do no Harm Second: Do Good Third: Attend upon all the Ordinances of God (Means of Grace) “To form the Savior in the Soul”

43. A CCOUNTABLE /C OVENANT D ISCIPLESHIP

44. S PIRITUAL G IFTS “Each one of us has received a special gift in proportion to what Christ has given.” Ephesians 4:7

45. L AY S ERVANT M INISTRIES Inform congregation about Lay Servant Ministries Encourage participation Keep track of courses taken by lay servants Help lay speakers find ways to use their skills

46. L EARNING & L EADING Most Lay Servant Ministries courses can be used as short term studies for ALL members of the congregation!

47. C ERTIFIED L AY M INISTERS Additional training beyond Lay Servant Ministries Assigned by District Superintendent Serve with a mutual ministry team Certified by District Comm. on Ordained Ministry More Info: www.gbod.org/laity/clmwww.gbod.org/laity/clm clm@gbod.org

48. C HRISTIAN C ONFERENCING /L EADING M EETINGS Tithing Your Time

49. Discernment “to see to the heart of the matter with spiritual eyes”

50. C ONSENSUS Creates cooperative dynamic

51. Mutual Invitation “Do unto others……”

52. I NCLUSIVITY

53. C OMMUNICATION S KILLS Listening

54. L EADING C HANGE Necessary for growth

55. APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY – A NEW WAY OF THINKING Philippians 4:8

56. W HAT IS A PPRECIATIVE I NQUIRY ?? A way of seeing and creating Offers a different reality Forsakes the “deficit model”

57. A SSET B ASED C OMMUNITY D EVELOPMENT : H OW W E W ORK WITH O THER P ARTNERS Visions of Community Connection “PROGRAM” “PEOPLE” Centered Centered Give answersAsk Questions ID Needs ID Gifts/Motivation Design Service Mobilize Action Make/Serve “consumers” Develop citizens

58. C ONFLICT AND M EDIATION From PROBLEMS To POSSIBILITIES

59. I DENTIFYING A ND P REPARING P OTENTIAL L EADERS Passing the Baton

60. E VALUATING Y OUR L EADERSHIP

61. R EFLECTION

62. T AKE A WAYS Set up times for regular conversations with your pastor- including prayer covenant Plan to change the format of meetings to Christian conferencing Find ways to encourage members in their Ministry in Daily Life – help them recognize their work as ministry- explore ways to recognize this in the church

63. M ORE T AKE A WAYS Consider a recognition service for those serving on committees- including those who are rotating off Find ways to stay connected and informed on the larger church Find ways to be in ministry beyond the walls Establish a pattern of spiritual disciplines and join or form an accountability group – Teach about the General Rules in your congregation

64. “ Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life …” Philippians 2:14-15

65. C OPYRIGHT “Lay Leader/Lay Member” Copyright © 2013 The General Board of Discipleship of The United Methodist Church, PO Box 340003, Nashville TN 37203-0003. Website: http://www.GBOD.org. This presentation may be reprinted and used for nonprofit local church and educational purposes with the inclusion of the complete copyright citation plus the words "Used by permission." It may not be sold, republished, altered, used for profit, or placed on a website not under the auspices of The General Board of Discipleship. http://www.GBOD.org