Is God Calling Me to be a Certified Lay Minister (CLM)?
“A CLM is called to serve intentionally in a specific ministry position.” (CLM Guidebook, 6)
A CLM is under assignment by the district superintendent (D.S.) to serve a specific congregation or group of congregations in a variety of capacities.
Certified Lay Ministers are called and equipped to:
Care for the congregation
Assist in program leadership
Develop new and existing faith communities
Lead small groups
Establish community outreach
Assist the clergy
Some Certified Lay Ministers are:
Administrative assistants
Christian educators
Church planters
Lay supply ministers
Musicians
Congregational care givers
How do I become a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church?
Take BASIC and Spiritual Gifts through the Lay Servant Academy (LSA) (offered throughout the year by each district and the conference).
Take the Orientation to CLM through LSA (offered twice a year)
Take all four modules for CLM training, either through the VA Conference or BeADisciple.com
Get support of local church, D.S., and recommendation of the district committee on ministry (dCOM) for certification by the Board of Laity
What is the difference between the VAUMC module and the BeADisciple module?
VAUMC Module Program
In the module program offered by the VAUMC, you will be placed in a cohort, meeting by Zoom 3-4 times per module to build community, and support each other on the journey. By module two you will create a Mutual Ministry Team (MMT) that will encourage you through the rest of the modules. You will have a trained mentor as you discern your call. You will have teachers to step with you along the way, both online and via phone conversations. Each module will last three months with online coursework interspersed with Zoom meetings. It will take two years to complete the modules.
BeADisciple Module Program
In the BeADisciple.com model (endorsed by Discipleship Ministries of the UMC in 2014), all of your classes are online and there is little interaction with other people. The course is self-directed with homework assignments to the instructor, including the creation and implementation of the Mutual Ministry Team (MMT), which could be a little tricky to navigate without guidance or trained mentors. The main advantage to the BeADisciple Module is that you could move through the courses within one year.
How do I get started with a Module Program?
Take the BASIC and Spiritual Gifts courses through LSA. See here to enroll.
Register for Module One, offered each fall and spring through the VA Conference, or throughout the year through BeADisciple.com.
I’ve completed the modules and am ready to begin the process to visit with my DCOM.
What do I do now?
Follow this link to begin uploading all your forms for DCOM. If you have gone through the VAUMC cohort you should have almost all the necessary documents in your CLM folder.
What if I have questions?
Contact Rev. Joanna Dietz to schedule a time to ask questions and learn more!