At one of the meetings I attended this year, I heard Bishop Bard say the laity are the backbone of the church. As your District Lay Leader these last couple of years, I have served on the Lay Servant Ministries Team. I have seen first hand all the good things this group does, serving as a resource, providing support and training for the laity.
John Wesley, started the Methodist movement with lay persons organized into classes and societies, so, at the very heart of who we are as Methodists, is the extraordinary partnership of clergy and laity in ministry together. Now more than ever, we need the gifts and calling of laity to provide excellent leadership and pastoral support in our local churches and the communities around us. Friends, our pastors are stretched to the limit in all they are asked to do. Laity need to be involved in the life of the church and help to relieve the heavy workload of our pastors. Friends, we are a team – Pastors and Laity – working together serving our Lord. Listen to your God Nudges.
Lay Servant Ministries is a leadership development program that equips and empowers people responding to God’s call in mission and ministry through an organized curriculum with three levels of certification – Lay Servants, Lay Speakers, and Lay Ministers. They learn to lead, care and communicate as they prepare themselves to serve in the local church, community and across the connection.
Lay Servants in our district serve in a wide variety of roles such as board chairs, Bible Study leaders, food pantry directors and volunteers, trainers for disaster response teams, parish nurses, volunteers in a number of ways and much more.
For those of you who are feeling a God Nudge and want to explore lay servant ministries, you will begin with the basic class that offers a broad overview and an understanding of Methodism. After that, a rotation of advanced classes is offered in a variety of subjects including United Methodist History and Polity, prayer, worship design, preaching, climate justice, social principles, aging in ministry, just to name a few.
So, now that you have a better idea of the purpose of Lay Servant Ministries, you may be wondering how to get started. Our district is fortunate to have a strong team under the leadership of Sara Wolfsen, who plan a spring and fall retreat each year. We know you are busy people so we start late Friday afternoon and end Saturday by 5 PM. During that time, we meet for meaningful worship, action-packed class time, and lively conversation during meals. The next retreat will be held at Cadillac UMC on April 24-25, 2026.
Clergy, you already pour your heart and soul into your laity to equip them and connect them with opportunities for ministry. Encourage your members to take the next step in lay servant ministries by enrolling in the Spring Retreat.
Laity, consider talking with your pastor to help you discern your next step as you feel a God Nudge to live out your own call more deeply. You will also find a wealth of information on the Michigan Conference Website. Just type “Lay Servant Ministries” in the search bar. Another way is to contact Sara Wolfsen, email: [email protected] if you have questions about the retreat or Lay Ministries.
I took my first class over 20+ years ago when I became a Parish Nurse for Grand Rapids Aldersgate, Grand Rapids First and Wyoming Park and never regretted it. I have found the workshops to be an excellent resource in my personal faith journey and in serving my church, District and Conference. Listen for your God Nudge.
Blessings, Wendy