Here are the proposals approved by the Uniting Church's national Assembly Standing Committee arising from the review of Lay Preachers. NOTE: These are NOT the official minutes but my record of what was approved.
That the Standing Committee
1. receive the report;
2. reaffirm the significance of the ministry of Lay Preacher for the life and witness of the Uniting Church and to invite congregations and councils of the church to celebrate the service of Lay Preachers.
3. encourage presbyteries, church councils and Ministers, in the light of Paragraph 13 of the Basis of Union,
…It acknowledges with thanksgiving that the one Spirit has endowed the members of Christ's Church with a diversity of gifts, and that there is no gift without its corresponding service: all ministries have a part in the ministry of Christ… The Uniting Church will thereafter provide for the exercise by men and women of the gifts God bestows upon them, and will order its life in response to God's call to enter more fully into mission.
to
(a) encourage members whose gifts are in worship leading and preaching to develop and exercise their gifts;
(b) seek to provide support and resourcing for the development of such gifts;
(c) offer local opportunities for affirmation and recognition of those who serve in these ways;
(d) seek to offer encouraging and constructive feedback to those who serve in these ways;
4. request Synod Secretaries to discuss the differences in systems and levels of remuneration and financial assistance for Lay Preachers and candidates across Synods in terms of training costs, travel costs and preaching/leading fees, and bring a recommendation to ASC regarding
(a) the possibility of reducing the degree of discrepancy
(b) ways to encourage presbyteries and congregations to follow such guidelines
(c) sources of financial assistance (eg. study scholarships or subsidies);
5. request the Education for Ministry Working Group to
(a) review the responsibilities and accountability of the National Lay Preachers’ Committee in the light of its responsibilities;
(b) in consultation with synod education agencies, to work with Assembly Communications to prepare a promotional strategy relating to the ministry of Lay Preacher;
(c) to consult with MEBs, presbyteries which were identified in the Review as providing effective support and oversight, a range of culture and language groups, and the National Lay Preachers’ Committee to develop Guidelines for presbyteries in providing oversight of, and support for, Lay Preachers, including
(i) suggested goals and strategies for promotion and recruitment
(ii) suggested goals and strategies for support and encouragement
(iii) suggested goals and strategies for education, formation
and continuing education
(iv) suggested goals and strategies for provision of feedback and review
(v) ways in which any additional duties requested of individual Lay
Preachers may be addressed in terms of competencies and
oversight, including mention of the ministry of Pastor as an
appropriate option in some circumstances
(vi) ways in which the “Code Of Ethics And Ministry Practice For
Lay Preachers In The Uniting Church In Australia” may be
promoted and used as a tool for reflection and review
(d) include in the Guidelines produced in response to 6 (c)
consideration of the training, recognition and oversight of
other (‘non-accredited’) church members who lead worship
and preach regularly,
(e) collaborate with Synod Lay Education agencies and a range of
presbyteries to develop a national strategy for the education
and formation of lay people for preaching and worship leading
in the context of Christian discipleship in the light of the
report findings by March 2015, including
(1) revised ‘Rules’ for education and formation of Lay Preachers
(2) a national competency framework and national assessment
framework *, allowing for (but not requiring) the option of VET
sector accreditation for training courses
(3) guidelines for ministry formation for lay preachers and worship leaders
(4) a national certificate of recognition for Lay Preachers**
(5) a tiered or incremental approach to competency development
(6) modular learning with a range of delivery approaches and teaching styles
(7) varied learning approaches for people from culturally and
linguistically diverse communities
(8) a range of approaches to teaching, learning and assessment
(9) options for online delivery
(10) consideration of the provision of resources for local mentoring
in worship leading and preaching by ordained Ministers and others
(11)tools for feedback or review of Lay Preachers within presbyteries
(g) review education and training programs offered within synods during
2015 in co-operation with MEBs.
(h) consult with the Assembly Worship Working Group about the possibility
of expanded provision of online resourcing of worship leaders and
preachers, covering a range of worship and preaching styles, with
particular attention to the needs of smaller congregations
Also, these proposals were approved by the Ministerial Education Commission:
That the MEC request MEBs: (ie. Synod Ministerial Education Boards)
to encourage their lay education agencies and/or staff to work with relevant synod and presbytery staff to foster ways in which young adults may be both encouraged to exercise their gifts in worship and preaching and be better equipped to do so.
recognising that not all lay people who lead worship or preach will become accredited Lay Preachers, to encourage their lay education agencies to work with presbyteries to foster ways in which lay leaders might be networked for mutual encouragement and learning.
Here's a copy of the full report with the amended proposals. Oh, and the Working Group was thanked and discharged by the MEC! Download FINAL REPORT ON THE REVIEW - JULY 2013
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