Rev'd Dr Elizabeth Wild is Director of Mission and Ministry and Diocesan Director of Vocations and Ordinands for the diocese. Here she talks about encouraging shoots of growth in the numbers of lay people stepping forward to take on important lay ministry roles in their parishes.
One of the best things about my job is when I am invited out to local parishes or deaneries to commission people into local ministry roles. This is always a pleasure as I find my way to church somewhere in the diocese to meet with a group of people – or sometimes just one person – who is stepping into one of the local ministry roles. A recent joy was finding myself at Wellington Church to commission a whole group of Local Worship Leaders, Local Pastoral Visitors and even to re-commission a Local Minister who had moved parishes. Revd Anne Price had organised training for her team, including going to great lengths to offer in person Safeguarding training, and it was wonderful to see so many people being recognised, some of whom had been active in their parishes for nearly 30 years. There was a wonderful sense of God at work.
Now and again I also get asked to talk to deaneries about lay ministry. This autumn I also found myself at the Clun Deanery Synod for this purpose. I was warmly welcomed by everyone who was there and it was fascinating when I asked the assembled group if any of them were involved in any kind of lay ministry. All sorts of people raised their hands to talk about an amazing range of ways that they offer ministry in the church as laypeople. There were people in local ministry and Lay Reader roles, which I had expected, but we also had someone who was a Spiritual Director and also a Bishop’s Adviser – someone who helps the national church to discern whether people are called to become ordained. In the end we realised that there are a huge range of ways that people are called to serve God’s purposes – in the church and in the world.
It is my privilege to be able to encourage and support lay ministers in my work, but to be honest most of the encouragement and support happens in local church communities where people give of themselves with such generosity and joy. I thank God for all those who are willing to live their lives God’s way, whether in their work or family life or in their local community, school or church context. As the words of the commissioning service go: They are signs of God at work!
For more information about lay ministry or to explore vocation, speak with your parish priest or contact the Mission & Ministry Team.
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