Licensed Lay Ministry

The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. (Ephesians 4:11-13)

All God’s people are called into ministry, using their God-given gifts as they love and serve the world, their neighbors, and their God. Within that wide scope of possibilities, the Episcopal Church recognizes a set of particular roles as ‘licensed lay ministries,’ including Eucharistic Visitor, Worship Leader, Preacher, Pastoral Leader, and Catechist. (Canon III.4 of the Canons of the Episcopal Church)

If you and your worshiping community have discerned a call for you to minister in any of these ways, the School for Ministry can help you prepare to serve.

Preparing for Licensed Lay Ministry in the Episcopal Church

In the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, all those seeking to serve in a licensed role begin by meeting these requirements:

  • At least one year as a confirmed communicant in a local parish

  • Taking part in an intentional discernment process to affirm a call to this way of serving

  • Having a recommendation from the applicant’s Rector or Vicar, endorsing the applicant’s maturity of faith, regular engagement with the worship and ministry of the congregation, and the gifts and commitment to prepare for and practice a particular ministry. (SfM is delighted to welcome students from other dioceses, and to meet the expectations of the student’s home diocese.)

Some of the SFM courses & workshops relevant to various lay licenses are:

  • Lay Preacher: Scripture; Preaching A & B

  • Lay Worship Leader: Scripture; Common Prayer; Leading Morning Prayer workshop

  • Lay Pastoral Leader: Scripture; Common Prayer; Preaching A & B; Pastoral Care workshops

  • Lay Catechist: Scripture; Common Prayer

  • Eucharistic/Pastoral Visitor: Pastoral Care workshops

Applicants should submit their request for a license along with the recommendation of their priest, by e-mail, to the Dean of Formation for review by the Commission on Ministry and the Bishop.

Most lay licensing applications will require one year of foundational scripture (or two years of EfM) as well as ministry-specific training. Appropriate course work may be available through the School for Ministry/Iona Collaborative; through Bexley Seabury’s Pathways program; or through other coursework as approved by the Commission on Ministry. Within the Episcopal Church of New Hampshire, Eucharistic ministers and Eucharistic visitors are trained primarily at the congregational level.