These four important lay roles can support Church ministry in all sorts of ways. Learn more about each role below and the training needs for each of them.
Role description templates, supervision resources and the Annual Ministry Review are all available to download on the Lay Leader Training Pathway page.
Occasional Preachers
Occasional Preachers are lay leaders who have been identified by their Incumbent as having gifts, skills and calling to preach the Word in Sunday services or on other occasions. These might include giving talks at all-age worship and family services, giving special interest or seasonal talks, or speaking at Fresh Expressions of Church.
Lay Pastoral Visitors
Lay Pastoral Visitors are those with a particular heart for serving the Church and parish in pastoral care. This may include:
- Visiting newcomers to the church.
- Visiting those who move into the local area.
- Praying with and for people when visiting, either informally or using approved prayers.
- Visiting the sick, those in hospital, and the housebound.
- Providing pastoral care, support and assistance to those identified by the pastoral team lead or incumbent.
For DBS requirements they are not permitted to do the following:
- Manage anyone’s bills, handling cash or doing someone’s shopping.
- Give anyone a lift to a healthcare appointment in a vehicle as part of your role.
- Provide personal care.
Lay Pastoral Assistants
Lay Pastoral Assistants are those who were trained in pastoral ministry before 2020 and have extensive skills in pastoral care. In addition to the ministry of Lay Pastoral Visitors, they are able to:
- Support the dying and the bereaved.
- Support vulnerable families within the community.
- Administer Holy Communion by extension to the sick and the housebound.
- Do occasional shopping/bill paying with or for the person visited where the adult is in need of that assistance by reason of age, illness or disability.
- Provide supervision to the parish pastoral team.
Worship Service Leaders
Worship Service leaders are those who lead or share in leading services or other forms of worship, are part of a service planning team in parish or work with others enabling them to lead or design worship. They may minister in the following areas:
- Planning services.
- Choosing songs.
- Leading the main service of the Word.
- Leading all-age worship services.
- Leading seasonal services.
- Leading Fresh Expressions of Church.
- Leading morning prayer.
Contact
For training opportunities and queries about courses, contact the Diocesan Training Lead, Sarah Slater. If you would like to receive the termly training brief or the pastoral care newsletter, please click here to sign up.
If you’re still exploring your vocation in lay leadership, or you know someone in your congregation who is considering their vocation in lay ministry this page may be helpful.