Lay Preacher Sunday
When our Hutt City Uniting Congregation (HCUC) met recently to plan for the day, it became evident that not all our lay preachers were accredited. To be an accredited lay preacher in the MCNZ there are training requirements and a succinct description on the MCNZ website.
What about the rest? Are the lay preachers who have been taking services receiving adequate support and recognition for what they do? Or is it presumed their name will just roll over into the next preaching plan? Much of the ‘upskilling’ lay preachers do is self-directed. Just because we make it look easy, does not mean it is.
Support for Lay Preachers
Over the past decade the need for lay preachers has increased, as the financial burden of supporting a half or full-time presbyter has become unachievable for some parishes. HCUC is fortunate to have a skilled team of almost 30 lay preachers, rotating within six congregations. Later this year, our parish convenor for lay preachers, Lyn Price, will celebrate her long service of 60 years of lay preaching. What an accomplishment!
As the President of the NZLPA, my hopes and aspirations for lay preachers in Aotearoa include:
Creating and fostering a better relationship amongst lay preachers locally, nationally, and ecumenically.
Sharing ideas when it comes to more desirable resources. For example, Philip Garside, an esteemed Wellington-based publisher is an invaluable resource for me when I prepare services.
Celebrating and encouraging parish gatherings, nationally, involving speakers who will inspire existing lay preachers and spark curiosity in the new. These include local speakers not necessarily in your denomination. There are also musicians within our parishes willing to help lay preachers, if only they were asked.
Training
The NZLPA website Click Here suggests training courses that are available. Courses offered at the University of Otago and Trinity Methodist Theological College. There are also papers and courses available within our cultural synods. We should be encouraging our lay preachers to take these courses, even if it is only a paper at a time.
Let us be honest, we have dropped the ball on this one. As a collective, we have not always acknowledged or supported the lay preachers within our congregations and parishes as much as we could have.
On Lay Preacher’s Sunday, Hutt City Uniting Congregations will present certificates in recognition of the work that our lay preachers - accredited and in-training - have done and continue to do to preach the Good News which is Jesus Christ. This is a small step in the right direction.
I encourage your parish and congregations to support and acknowledge your lay preacher(s).