How is God calling you to serve?
FAQs
of
Licensed Ministry
Frequently Asked Questions about Licensed Ministry
What important links do I need to know?
Why are we revising our current Lay Licensing policies?
We have determined that the current process of Lay Licensing is not helping us achieve our goals of empowering and equipping lay leadership to foster a lay led, clergy supported model of ministry. Therefore, we have revised the licensing process in the hope of building the capacity of lay leadership in our churches – bridging the gap between being knowledgeable and being skillful practitioners.
Together, we are equipping and empowering our leadership to move from knowing “about” our faith to becoming skillful faith practitioners who understand why we do what we do and how to practice it.
None of us are “volunteers” because we are all baptized ministers and participants within our life of faith together, a living and learning community of Christian practitioners.
Becoming a Licensed Minister is a deeper calling with more commitment to your congregation. Please invite your parishioners into discernment around their calling into Licensed Ministry and serving as Licensed Ministers within your congregation.
What types of ministry roles are available to lay leaders?
We now offer three main pathways to equip and empower your lay leadership for specific ministry roles within the church:
- Licensed Ministry (requires certificate from Iona School): Preaching, Worship Leader, Catechist, Evangelist
- Licensed Eucharistic Ministry (online formation): Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM) and Lay Eucharistic Visitor (LEV)
- Lay Micro-Certification (online formation): Daily Office Leader and Proclamation of the Word (delivering approved sermons)
These three tiers of lay leadership roles within the church are meant to empower our lay leaders, to give them clear options of discernment for ministry within the Church, and to help us serve as good stewards of the powerful and often untapped human resources (skills, gifts, and talents) within our congregations.
Won’t this be more work for me?
Actually, our hope is that it will be LESS WORK for you. Yes, there will be some new things to learn along the way, but overall, we are providing you with some new formation resources to equip your lay leaders. Equipping leadership within the church leads to flourishing, thriving congregations.
Every moment is a formation moment…
And we are all looking for more formation for our people. Licensing certain lay leaders is a canonical requirement, so why not make this process as formational as possible?
Let’s take advantage of every opportunity to form our people well.
What resources are now available for me to use?
The Office of Formation has created several recommended/supplemental new online formation offerings that can:
- Assist with LEM and LEV formation (English/Spanish)
- Get folks prepared who want to lead Morning Prayer (English/Spanish)
- Empower folks, when needed, to deliver approved sermons written by clergy
So, whatever context you find yourself within, you now have some resources available so you do NOT have to create more formation material from scratch.
Do I have to use the online formation material created by the Office of Formation?
No, you do not have to use the online formation material. You are welcome to continue with your own formation if you already offer something. Or, you are welcome to use part or all of the recommended online formation material offered by the Office of Formation.
You can also be creative and adaptive with using the online offerings. You can use pieces of the online material and incorporate it into your formation. You can use all of it if you wish. You can let folks use the formation material individually or you can offer it during a small group time.
My folks have been serving as LEMs for 20 years, do I have to use the online formation material created by the Office of Formation?
No, you do not. However, these materials are intended as formation opportunities for your parishioners. In a world where we continue searching for ways to offer formation to our people, here is a great way to help…
- Renew their hearts, minds, and ministerial calling
- Become re-enchanted with a sense of wonder about their ministry, such as the Eucharist and Daily Office.
We are certainly not telling folks they don’t know how to serve at the altar. Many lay folks have served at the altar for decades. The online formation material is NOT focused on the logistical aspects of serving as LEM. It is not a “training” focused on evaluating someone’s competence at performing a task. Many of your LEMs have been serving with you for many years and do not need a “how to” in holding the chalice.
Instead, the online formation is focused on what happens BEYOND THE RAIL as a Eucharistic Minister who serves as a Licensed Minister within your congregation. It explores the theological and practical implications of what it means to live a Eucharistic way of life. It highlights the pastoral nature of serving as a Eucharistic Minister, and it invites people into deeper formation around the Eucharist.
How do folks apply to get licensed?
Once you discern with your lay leaders and after they receive the formation needed for their particular pathway, you can fill out their application here.
They do not fill out their own application. Applications are completed by the Rector, Vicar, or Head of Congregation.
What else do I need to know?
ALL Licensed Ministries and Lay Micro-Certifications are more deeply committed roles of service, leadership, and pastoral care within our congregations. This means that these roles must follow proper Safeguarding best practices.
- Any license requiring a certificate from the Iona School for Ministry (Preaching, Worship Leader, Catechist, Evangelist) must be Safeguarded.
- All Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) must be Safeguarded with an additional module for Ministry to Vulnerable Adults.
- All Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) and Lay Micro-Certifications do NOT need to be Safeguarded, but their online formation will include a Safeguarding Policy Review.
Does every license and micro-certification need the same Safeguarding training?
No, we have developed some specific training options just for these roles that will hopefully make things easier for you and your SRA. Your SRAs will be receiving updates on these new roles in the near future.
- Any license requiring a certificate from the Iona School for Ministry (Preaching, Worship Leader, Catechist, Evangelist) must be Safeguarded.
- All Lay Eucharistic Visitors (LEVs) must be Safeguarded with an additional module for Ministry to Vulnerable Adults.
- All Lay Eucharistic Ministers (LEMs) and Lay Micro-Certifications do NOT need to be Safeguarded, but their online formation will include a Safeguarding Policy Review.
