Through baptism, all Christians are called to a ministry of servanthood. Some feel called to serve their church or others in a deeper way.

Laypeople are the backbone of our United Methodist congregations. That is especially true in the Dakotas Conference, where many small rural churches lean heavily on the laity. However, some churches find that clergy are unavailable to serve or that resources call for creative options for leading worship.

Lay persons called to lead often need more training to live out their calling. The Dakotas Conference launched the Lay Ministry Academy through the Dakotas Connections Initiative—a grant focused on the vitality of rural ministry.

Three clergy leaders, Reverends Doug Diehl, Bob Ruedebusch, and Michele Slott, brainstormed, planned, and are delivering the academy in two parts. Part one is focused on preaching and worship. Part two covers congregational care and evangelism. The academy happens over two weekends, including sharing information and resources, interaction in small groups, and practice.

“In part one of the Lay Ministry Academy, participants deliver a sermon,” said Slott, who is hosting one of the Lay Ministry Academies at Open Heart UMC in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she serves. “The Academy is designed to be informational but also connectional. We want participants to leave with experience, resources, coaching, and a connection to each other.”  

The curriculum is based on Module Two: The Practice of Ministry for Certified Lay Ministry. Resources and content are from Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church and distributed by the Upper Room. 

“Bob saw a need. He knew that several people had been through Module One: The Call to Ministry by attending a Discernment Retreat,” said Slott. “The Lay Academy is a way to help people who might feel isolated connect and continue their ministry journey.”

The 32-hour training is divided into two weekends. Last fall, part one of the Lay Ministry Academy was held at Open Heart UMC in Rapid City, South Dakota. There were three participants.

“It was a small group but very effective,” said Slott, the pastor at Open Heart UMC. “It was a chance for us as the leaders to try things out. Participants were able to interact with each other and the leaders one-on-one.”

The weekend sessions begin on Friday afternoon and end on Sunday afternoon. The agenda includes sharing information from the leaders, interaction, and discussion with the participants. In part one, participants write and deliver a sermon at a church.

Jerry Bottger, a lay speaker at Mission United Methodist Church, said, “This is one of the best trainings I have been to. There was a lot of information and resources shared. You also got feedback and practice.”

Bottger described how the participants wrote a sermon around the same scripture but approached the sermon differently. “It was enlightening. We preached, critiqued each other, and shared our experiences,” he said. 

Bev Day, from Hitchcock, South Dakota, found herself at Open Heart UMC giving the sermon as part of the Lay Ministry Academy. “I didn’t know we were going to do that. It was in my e-mail, but it didn’t register with me. It went fine. It was a good class. I really enjoyed how well it was organized,” she said.

George Keener, a lay leader from Rapid Valley UMC, near Rapid City, South Dakota, is on the path to becoming a Certified Lay Minister. He has taken all the modules online but decided to attend Lay Ministry Academy, the content for module two. “Even though the content was the same, the interaction with the leaders and the other participants really made it a meaningful experience that I enjoyed,” he said.

Part two of the Lay Ministry Academy will be offered at Open Heart UMC on January 27-29, 2023. Participants will leave with a plan for their local church for evangelism or care ministry. Anyone who has completed Module One: Call and Covenant for Ministry, also called the basic course or the Discernment Retreat, can register.

The two parts are not sequential. You can take part two now and part one later. First United Methodist Church in Pierre, South Dakota, will host a Lay Ministry Academy with Reverends Diehl, Ruedebusch, and Slott leading the two parts. Part one will take place on April 28-20, 2023, and part two will be July 28-30, 2023.  Access details and register.

Slott sums up the experience. “The experience was very satisfying for the leaders and the participants. People are familiar with their context. When they come together and are able to share new content, new experiences, and ask questions, the words on the written page come alive. We hope to give other people that same opportunity.”

RESOURCES:
Discernment Retreats, the first step in the lay ministry journey,  help laypeople discover their gifts and talents for ministry. There are two upcoming Discernment Retreats.

• Canyon Lake UMC in Rapid City (with a Zoom option) will host a Discernment Retreat on February 4, 2023, and on March 4, 2023, register here. 
• The Mitchell Conference  Center (with a Zoom option) will host a Discernment Retreat on March 25, 2023, and April 29, 2023, register here.