Board of Laity
The purpose of the Virginia Conference Board of Laity is to create a culture of call by engaging, equipping, and empowering laity so that they might effectively partner with each other and their pastors to live out God’s call as they lead the church in transforming the world as disciples of Jesus Christ. To do this, the Board is divided into three teams, each lead by an Associate Conference Lay Leader.
The Engaging Team has as the focus of its work:
• Developing ways to identify and mentor lay leadership,
• Emphasizing the culture of call for all laity, and
• Assisting the local church in promoting a holistic model of stewardship through prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness.
A holistic model of stewardship encourages churches to look at stewardship as more than money. In “Components of a Wesleyan Stewardship,” Bishop Kenneth L. Carder says that: “Christian stewardship is our vocation to share in God’s mission of compassion, generosity and justice. Christian stewardship is an expression of love for God and neighbor, a necessary component of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, and integral to the church’s preaching and teaching.” In that regard, the Engaging Team seeks to assist local churches in educating their congregations about the importance of holistic stewardship programs. Please click here for stewardship resources.
The Equipping Team focuses on leadership excellence by:
• Teaching and modeling the culture of call for all laity within our congregations,
• Working with Leadership Development and Nominations Committees to discover and support the gifts of the laity of each congregation, and
• Developing resources and training opportunities.
Lay Speaking Ministries are a vital component of the Equipping Team. Committed lay persons who have become either local church or certified lay speakers are finding a myriad of ways to serve Christ -- in care facilities, as teachers and instructors, mentors and youth coordinators, and more. For more information about Lay Speaking Ministries, click here.
Training materials for local church Lay Leaders are developed by the Equipping Team. To view the materials, select “Local Church Lay Leaders” from the “Laity” menu. Additional resources for lay leadership can be found by selecting “Lay Leadership Resources” from the menu.
The Empowering Team assists in:
• Strengthening the shared ministry between clergy and laity
• Advocating for the laity and promoting Laity Sunday, and
• Assessing the needs of the local church, especially in area of lay leadership development and connecting people with resources.
One skill building for leaders is “Partners in Ministry” training which emphasizes pastors and lay leadership working together.
A description of the new structure of the Board of Laity adopted by the 2011 Annual Conference can be found by clicking here (pdf). This document outlines the roles and responsibilities of the Board, District Lay Leaders, and Local Church Lay Leaders.
Contact information:
For additional information about the work of the Board of Laity, visit the specific pages of our website or contact Martha Stokes in the Office of Leadership and Inclusivity at marthastokes@vaumc.org or by phone at (800) 768-6040 ext. 153 or (804) 521-1100 ext. 153.
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