Guidelines for Leading Your Congregation
LAY LEADER/ LAY MEMBER 2013-2016 Connecting Your Congregation and Your Annual Conference
CALLED TO A MINISTRY OF FAITHFULNESS AND VITALITY Leadership in Vital Ministry The Church’s Vision Assessing Your Efforts The Mission of the UMC
OUR PRIMARY TASK ¶ 243 The Book of Discipline
CALLED TO SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP By
virtue of our baptism Ministry vs. “ a job”
THE UNITED METHODIST BOOK OF DISCIPLINE
THE ROLE OF LAY LEADER
LAY LEADER/LAY MEMBER 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
LAY LEADER RESPONSIBILITIESPARAGRAPH 251- 2012 BOOK OF DISCIPLINE 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
Representing the Laity
MODELING DISCIPLESHIP
WESLEYAN CLASS MEETINGS
The Holy Club
FOSTER THE MINISTRY OF THE LAITY
Building Awareness
Recognize and Celebrate the Ministry of the Laity Laity Sunday – Third Sunday in October Laity Sun poster
RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE MINISTRY OF THE LAITY
Recognize lay speakers Promote service opportunities
RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE MINISTRY OF THE LAITY
Recognize ministries in daily life
MEET WITH THE PASTOR REGULARLY
Re: State of the congregation Needs for ministry Prayer for each other
NEW WAYS TO WORK; SHARED MINISTRY No
ministry is subservient to another Sent by Christ to live and work together - clergy and laity Guiding congregation through change Covenant for Leadership
GUIDELINES FOR DIALOGUE WITH YOUR PASTOR
Listen
Be courageous
Don’t be defensive
Be honest and kind
SERVE ON COMMITTEES Charge
Conference Church Council Finance Committee Lay Leadership Committee Staff Parish Relations/ Pastor Parish Relations Committee
CONTINUOUS STUDY
ASSIST THE COUNCIL
Ministry Beyond the Walls and Windows
DISTRICT AND CONFERENCE LAY LEADERS
Your counterparts and leaders on a district or conference level
REFLECTION
The UMC: A “Connectional” Church
Purple Street Church is not just any church, It’s a United Methodist Church….
Courtesy of UMCOM
…and it’s part of the District…
Courtesy of UMCOM
…which is part of the Annual Conference…
Courtesy of UMCOM
…which is part of the Jurisdiction…
Courtesy of UMCOM
…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
RESPONSIBILITIES AS LAY MEMBER OF ANNUAL CONFERENCE 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
ANNUAL CONFERENCE – TWO MEANINGS
Geographic area with assigned bishop.
The annual meeting of lay and clergy members of the geographical area (Annual Conference Session)
PREPARING FOR ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Study Attend
district meetings Understand the process The Book of Discipline Discuss issues
PARTICIPATE DURING ANNUAL CONFERENCE
Attend
laity sessions Participate in all other sessions Listen Worship Attend Bible study Explore
JOURNALING:
Reflections about; Proceedings Discussions Worship Special ceremonies Music
SERVE AFTER ANNUAL CONFERENCE Share
information Celebrate the opportunity and accomplishments
GENERAL CONFERENCE
2016 Portland Oregon- May 10-20
JURISDICTIONAL CONFERENCE Held
after General Conference Delegates elected with General Conference Delegates Election of bishops Other Jurisdictional business
REFLECTION
IMPROVING YOUR LEADERSHIP Servant Leadership Spiritual Disciplines Accountability Spiritual Gifts Lay Servant Ministries Christian conferencing Communication Skills Leading Change Evaluating Your Leadership
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Mt. 20:25-28 The United Methodist Book of Discipline
Part IV. Sections III. - V.
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES Means of Grace Prayer Searching the Scriptures Holy Communion Fasting Christian Conferencing Worship Devotions Works of Piety and Mercy
Spiritual Disciplines “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
THE UNITED METHODIST RULE OF LIFE
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”
ACCOUNTABLE/COVENANT DISCIPLESHIP
SPIRITUAL GIFTS “Each one of us has received a special gift in proportion to what Christ has given.” Ephesians 4:7
LAY SERVANT MINISTRIES 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
LEARNING & LEADING Most Lay Servant Ministries courses can be used as short term studies for ALL members of the congregation!
CERTIFIED LAY MINISTERS
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/clm
[email protected]
CHRISTIAN CONFERENCING/LEADING MEETINGS
Tithing Your Time
Discernment
“to see to the heart of the matter with spiritual eyes”
CONSENSUS
Creates cooperative dynamic
Mutual Invitation
“Do unto others……”
INCLUSIVITY
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Listening
LEADING CHANGE
Necessary for growth
APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY – A NEW WAY OF THINKING
Philippians 4:8
WHAT IS APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY?? A
way of seeing and creating Offers a different reality Forsakes the “deficit model”
CONFLICT AND MEDIATION
From PROBLEMS To POSSIBILITIES
IDENTIFYING AND PREPARING POTENTIAL LEADERS
Passing the Baton
EVALUATING YOUR LEADERSHIP
REFLECTION
TAKE AWAYS 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
MORE TAKE AWAYS 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
“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
COPYRIGHT “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.
