School of Certified Lay Minister
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CERTIFIED LAY MINISTER FACT SHEET
What is a Certified Lay Minister?
The Certified Lay Minister (CLM) is a position that was created by the 2004 session of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church. It is a position to enhance the quality of ministry and ability of small membership churches and team ministry in larger membership churches to meet the spiritual and temporal needs of a constantly changing world. (272/2004 Book of Discipline)
There is a process that prepares a person for service as a Certified Lay Minister. Following the successful completion of this spiritual enrichment experience, the candidate is subject to meet one or all of these pre-requisites: background check and child abuse clearance. If recommended by SPRC, pastor, District Committee on Ordained Ministry (DCOM) and approved by the Cabinet and the bishop, a certified lay minister may serve under the direct supervision of an Elder or a licensed local pastor. Under that supervision, the CLM shall preach the Word, provide a care ministry to the local congregation, assist in program leadership, and be a witness in the community for the growth, missional, and connectional efforts of the United Methodist Church. Certified Lay Speakers or a person with equivalent training as defined by Baltimore-Washington Conference may be certified as a lay minister by the District Committee on Ordained Ministry. All former training and accomplishments will be reviewed and evaluated during the qualification process by DCOM and BOOM.
Steps to Certification
Step 1: A person must demonstrate appreciation of the history, polity, doctrine, worship and liturgy of the United Methodist Church through service in the local church. Upon sensing a call to become a Certified Lay Minister, a person will meet with their pastor to discuss this sense of calling, and read the Christian as Minister. After reading through the Christian as Minister, the person will meet again with the pastor; discuss the book, the nature of ministry, and their calling. They will receive guidance by the pastor regarding the next steps that are to be taken.
Step 2: The pastor is to submit a request in writing to the district superintendent to identify a time to meet with the SPRC, church council chair and pastor to discuss the needs of the church, and the suitability of the person’s gifts as a candidate for the certified lay ministry within the local church.
Step 3: Once the candidate for the Certified Lay Ministry has received the required approval for attendance from the pastor, SPRC Chair, and the District Superintendent/Guide, the candidate must complete the following coursework recommended by the General Board of Discipleship and General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
Module II: Practice of Ministry - (6 weeks) February 9 - March 21, 2009
Module III: Organization of Ministry - (6 weeks) April 11 - May 16, 2009
Module IV: Connection and Ministry - (6 weeks) September 26 - October 31, 2009
(Each session will be 2 ½ hours)
Step 4: The District Superintendent/Guide will contact the respective chair of the District Committee on Ordained Ministry to schedule a time for the person to meet with members of the DCOM.
Step 5: Once the course is completed, the person is to meet with the local church SPRC and upon the SPRC recommendation is to get approval (by majority vote) at the next regularly scheduled charge conference. A copy of this approval is to be forwarded to the DCOM.
Step 6: Upon satisfactory completion of all of the above steps, the person may be recommended to serve in ministry by the District Committee on Ordained Ministry to the Board of Ordained Ministry and the bishop as a Certified Lay Minister.
A Certified Lay Minister has no clergy rights or benefits. The final placement of the Certified Lay Minister is under the discretion of the bishop and Cabinet.
Re-Certification - The CLM must be re-certified by the DCOM every 2 years after a successful ministry program and recommendation of Charge Conference from the congregation to which the CLM is a member: (1) Completion of Continuing Education; (2) Recommendation of the pastor, Church Council Chair, and Charge Conference; (3) Recommendation of the District Superintendent/Guide.
The class size per module is 25 applicants in each District and a minimum of 8 applicants enrolled in order for the class to take place in a District. The deadline for registration is August 10, 2008 and the first module fee is due on September 1, 2008. The first module will be held at 9 a.m. on September 27, 2008 at each location. The date for the second class will be given at the opening session.
Application Fee: 25.00
Module Fee: 100.00 per module (to be paid prior to each class)
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Total Cost: $425.00 - 4 modules
Classes for Module I will be in the following location:
Western Region (Cumberland-Hagerstown and Frederick)
Christ UMC on Ballenger Creek Pike in Frederick (Tuesday) -- September 30 - October 28
Hancock UMC in Hancock (Tuesday) -- September 30 - October 28
Annapolis Southern Region (Annapolis and Washington East)
Community UMC in Crofton (Sunday) -- September 28 - October 26
Mt. Zion UMC in Mechanicsville (Tuesday) -- September 30 - October 28
Baltimore Region (Baltimore Metropolitan and Baltimore Suburban)
Timonium UMC in Timonium (Sunday) -- September 28 - October 26
John Wesley UMC in Baltimore (Monday) -- September 29 0 October 27
Washington Region (Central Maryland and Greater Washington)
McKendree-Simms-Brookland in Washington (Monday) -- September 29 - October 27
Goshen UMC in Gaithersburg (Monday) -- September 29 - October 27
Registration Form
Admission Form
Pastor's Recommendation Form
Pastor's Order Form Module I
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