St Luke's Church Eccleshill - Articles from "The Link"

The call to lay ministry

Gary Blonder is a lay reader at St Augustine’s and came to preach at St Luke’s for “Reader Sunday”. We asked him if we could put the first part of what he said into our magazine - but he had spoken off the cuff, so we then asked him to write it out for us.

What do you think the church is? The simple answer is you are! The true definition of the church is the worldwide community of Christians who affirm the Creed. (We believe in one God etc.) In some churches however, you could be forgiven for thinking that the church was just the clergy. Sometimes this is because the clergy want to control everything, but equally often it is because the laity leave everything to the clergy.

For several reasons it is important that the laity take more responsibility for the running of their churches. This extends to every aspect, from preaching and teaching to pastoral care of the flock to administration. The clergy have been called to come out of "ordinary life" to lead churches and administer the sacraments, but for everything else they could do with a hand!

The most important reason is that it was never God's purpose that one individual should do everything. In your congregation every single one of you has at least one and usually more gifts that are God-given and with which you are meant to enrich the church. Everyone else in your church is your spiritual family, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and you should be aware of your calling to serve and minister to them. Whatever your ability is, you could use it to bless your church.
Secondly it is important to remember that you are part of Christ's body here on Earth. This means that Christ ministers to people through people like you. It is God's good pleasure to give the kingdom to and work out his purposes through humble forgiven sinners like you. You can go to places and meet people that the vicar cannot. For many people you will be the only witness for Christ they will meet! It is vital for you to realise this and to conduct yourself as Christ's ambassador to your neighbours. Your role is not to put them in touch with the vicar but in touch with Jesus Christ.
Thirdly there are fewer clergy to go around, and they are set to get fewer still. Some rural parishes have to share a clergyman with five or six others! Even if there were more clergy, the church would be unable to pay them anyway. It is time for the laity to wise up. The legacies of dead rich Victorian patrons has been spent and funds that can be raised out of investments by Church Commissioners no longer even cover running costs. From now on the church only has whatever time, talents and treasures the laity of the church puts into it.

It is time for you to take responsibility for your church. Your clergyman, if you are still lucky enough to have one, is a transitory figure, on average staying only ten years in one place. You however are likely to belong to your fellowship for half your lifetime. Only you are in the position to provide continual ministry to your brothers and sisters in Christ and beyond year after year. Without you there will be no faith and no church to pass on to the next generation in your area.

The church has many ways of empowering the laity to play a greater role, and the most far-reaching one is that of Lay Reader. The church can train you then empower you to minister in a more powerful and effective way to your own church and beyond. It is highly flexible in scope and ranges from playing a major role in services such as preaching and leading worship to pastoral care, visiting the sick, befriending the elderly and helping young people and in outreach to the community and many other ways to serve. An effective Lay Reader is like a strong right arm to the church, and the more strong arms the better!

If you have just sat in the congregation for many years, perhaps just making the odd pot of tea after services or reading a bible passage, the Lord is calling you to leave that role to others while you fulfil the larger role you know that God has equipped you for. Perhaps it is time for you to approach your own clergy and finally offer that desperately needed strong right hand.

Gary Blonder

	*St Luke's Church, Eccleshill - The Link* magazine** The Link is published monthly at 40p (Senior Citizens 35p), and we deliver free within the parish and post copies (at the reader's expense) to those who request it. Please contact us if you would like a free copy for a trial period. November 2004, Page 1-2.
Home Page. Index of articles: by subject, by date. In this issue: (November 2004) Lay ministry, 2 Thessalonians, Question. Other articles on church organisation.	The call to lay ministry Gary Blonder is a lay reader at St Augustine’s and came to preach at St Luke’s for “Reader Sunday”. We asked him if we could put the first part of what he said into our magazine - but he had spoken off the cuff, so we then asked him to write it out for us. What do you think the church is? The simple answer is you are! The true definition of the church is the worldwide community of Christians who affirm the Creed. (We believe in one God etc.) In some churches however, you could be forgiven for thinking that the church was just the clergy. Sometimes this is because the clergy want to control everything, but equally often it is because the laity leave everything to the clergy. For several reasons it is important that the laity take more responsibility for the running of their churches. This extends to every aspect, from preaching and teaching to pastoral care of the flock to administration. The clergy have been called to come out of "ordinary life" to lead churches and administer the sacraments, but for everything else they could do with a hand! The most important reason is that it was never God's purpose that one individual should do everything. In your congregation every single one of you has at least one and usually more gifts that are God-given and with which you are meant to enrich the church. Everyone else in your church is your spiritual family, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and you should be aware of your calling to serve and minister to them. Whatever your ability is, you could use it to bless your church. Secondly it is important to remember that you are part of Christ's body here on Earth. This means that Christ ministers to people through people like you. It is God's good pleasure to give the kingdom to and work out his purposes through humble forgiven sinners like you. You can go to places and meet people that the vicar cannot. For many people you will be the only witness for Christ they will meet! It is vital for you to realise this and to conduct yourself as Christ's ambassador to your neighbours. Your role is not to put them in touch with the vicar but in touch with Jesus Christ. Thirdly there are fewer clergy to go around, and they are set to get fewer still. Some rural parishes have to share a clergyman with five or six others! Even if there were more clergy, the church would be unable to pay them anyway. It is time for the laity to wise up. The legacies of dead rich Victorian patrons has been spent and funds that can be raised out of investments by Church Commissioners no longer even cover running costs. From now on the church only has whatever time, talents and treasures the laity of the church puts into it. It is time for you to take responsibility for your church. Your clergyman, if you are still lucky enough to have one, is a transitory figure, on average staying only ten years in one place. You however are likely to belong to your fellowship for half your lifetime. Only you are in the position to provide continual ministry to your brothers and sisters in Christ and beyond year after year. Without you there will be no faith and no church to pass on to the next generation in your area. The church has many ways of empowering the laity to play a greater role, and the most far-reaching one is that of Lay Reader. The church can train you then empower you to minister in a more powerful and effective way to your own church and beyond. It is highly flexible in scope and ranges from playing a major role in services such as preaching and leading worship to pastoral care, visiting the sick, befriending the elderly and helping young people and in outreach to the community and many other ways to serve. An effective Lay Reader is like a strong right arm to the church, and the more strong arms the better! If you have just sat in the congregation for many years, perhaps just making the odd pot of tea after services or reading a bible passage, the Lord is calling you to leave that role to others while you fulfil the larger role you know that God has equipped you for. Perhaps it is time for you to approach your own clergy and finally offer that desperately needed strong right hand. Gary Blonder
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