Can you find yourself here?
- You are looking for the best way to support lay ministry in your congregation;
- You’ve implemented a lay ministry program, but it hasn’t taken hold, disappointing you and your governing board;
- You are searching for ways to relate to the Monday-through-Friday lives of your congregants;
- You have a hard time finding people to fill volunteer positions, or once you do, things don’t go as smoothly as you hoped;
- You have a terrific and engaged congregation and want to keep it that way.
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Anne Van Dusen,
Senior Research
Associate
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In this current focus, we explore different aspects of lay ministry, show how each translates into practice, and suggest resources for further consideration. These distinctions are points on a complex continuum—ranging from the nuts and bolts of effective volunteer management to the fundamental understanding of what it means to be a participant in God’s creation. Through this simplification, we hope you will recognize some of the factors at work and their unique configuration in your congregation.
Click here for a print-ready version of of this Web site. (Note: you will need to have installed the free download, Adobe Acrobat ).
Tips for Navigating the Site
You have three tools to help you navigate the site: a vertical main menu (on the left of your screen); a site map (at the bottom of the main menu); and, on some screens, a horizontal navigation bar (near the top of the screen).
Use the main menu to view each of the primary sections in this site. In the section entitled "What is Lay Ministry?" you'll find a horizontal navigation bar that provides links to five subtopics: "Clergy Roles," "Cultural Influences," "Reconsidering Mission," "Polarities," and "Language." Be sure to check out these subtopics—they will help you to understand lay ministry more fully.
In each of the lay ministry main topic pages ("Volunteer Management," "Equipping Congregations," "Collaboration with Clergy," "Congregational Life," and "Personal Ministry"), you'll find a horizontal navigation bar that provides a link to an annotated list of resources on that topic. In addition, the main menu features a "Resource Index" that lists, in alphabetical order, ALL of the resources featured in this site.
Don't forget to share your thoughts with us, using our feedback form listed on the main menu. We truly appreciate any reflections, questions, or suggestions you may have.
And if you want to know what your denomination has to say about lay ministry, click on "Denominational Links" in the main menu.
Finally, if you happen to get lost, always remember that our site map is there to guide you back home—or back to wherever you want to be.
Thank you for visiting this site. We look forward to hearing from you!
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