Lay ministry.

One of the perils of being a young person who is highly involved in the church is dodging the question "Are you going to be a minister?" A couple of years ago, when I wrote a lot for the Record, attended General Assembly and participated in the think-tank, I ducked the question regularly. "I'm thinking about it," I would reply; or, more truthfully, "I would like the ministering part of it but I couldn't handle the politics."

I always felt guilty for not wanting to be a minister. What I didn't realize at the time, however, was that I was already a minister. I ministered through writing, teaching church school and midweek youth groups, and serving on church committees. I wasn't ordained; I was a lay minister.

Lay ministers are not always recognized officially in the church. But, more and more, congregations are coming to depend on them -- for leadership, special events and running the day-to-day operations of the church. Many clergy realize they cannot do everything on their own -- and that's where lay ministers come in.

A Lay Pastor's Commitment

P - Pray       Pray for the people weekly or daily.

A - Available  Be available for them at all times,
               within reason.

C - Contact    Make regular contacts for a significant
               conversation or expression of care.

E - Example    Be a Christian example.

-- supplied by Gordon Kouwenberg, minister of St. Andrew's and St. Stephen's Church, North Vancouver 

Lay ministry ranges from official, paid, full- or part-time positions to occasional pulpit supply or committee work. Whatever the case, lay ministers are essential to congregations and clergy both.

Here are the stories of some lay ministers in our church.

Sandi Churchill: Matching Gifts to Ministries

Sandi Churchill's ministry is facilitating ministry for other people. She is employed as the director of volunteer ministries at Varsity Acres Church in Calgary. This part-time position involves matching the gifts of members of the congregation with jobs that need doing in the church, then organizing those people so their ministry can be effective.

"My primary function is to help members and adherents identify their gifts and talents, then assist them in finding meaningful ways to live out their ministry at Varsity Acres," Sandi says. She organizes the 12 standing committees of the Varsity Acres session, whose membership rotates one-third yearly. This way, new blood and new ideas are constantly infusing the church.

Sandi's job also involves appreciation. She supports, encourages and, most important, appreciates the volunteers at the church. With thank-yous and special events such as Volunteer Ministry Recognition Sunday, the volunteers' contributions are acknowledged so they do not feel taken for granted.

"Lay ministry is so fundamental to our understanding of Christian life that Sandi's position is totally dedicated to it," says Jean Morris, the ordained minister at Varsity Acres. "Seventy per cent of our membership is involved in the church's ministry beyond Sunday worship."

Jerry Clayborne: Bringing Stability to a Congregation

Despite never being ordained, Jerry Clayborne is more of a "real" minister than some ordained clergy of the Presbyterian Church. For the past 10 years, he has preached regularly at Roxborough Park Church in Hamilton, Ontario, conducting almost 50 services per year.

When he began preaching at Roxborough, Jerry was responsible only for conducting the service every week. His role soon expanded to pastoral care -- visiting the sick, conducting funerals and assisting at weddings. His only previous training had been as an occasional preacher at Christmas Eve and Easter sunrise services for the youth group, and as an occasional preacher during summer vacations or for pulpit exchange.

"I brought some kind of stability to a congregation that had none," Jerry says. During his years at Roxborough, the congregation has expanded to include young children and families. The congregation has also improved and renovated the building.

Five years ago, Jerry lost his full-time job. In his 50s now, he decided to become ordained -- realizing a dream of 35 years. That same year, Knox College imposed a B-average standard for admission; so Jerry enrolled at McMaster Divinity College in Hamilton. Without an income, however, he is uncertain about his future.

"The Holy Spirit has given me guidance and strength to do what I have done to this point in my life," Jerry says. "I am sure that same power of God will direct my future."

Don MacVicar: Returning Love to the Inner City

As Don MacVicar was growing up in the inner city of Hamilton, Ontario, local churches and their programs often gave his family a helping hand. Now, as outreach director for the inner city of Hamilton for the churches of St. David's and St. John/St. Andrew, Don has the opportunity to return the favour to others.

The inner-city program ministers to families and children struggling with poverty, broken homes, alcoholism and abuse. Despite working full time at Dofasco, Don organizes and coordinates all the activities for the program as well as administering training and leadership development for volunteers. More than 225 children are involved in the weekly programs, and more attend summer camping programs.

The inner-city program aims to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of families. Physical needs are met through donations of clothing, food, furniture and craft materials from local churches and individuals. Spiritual needs are met through devotionals and teaching the gospel.

More than anything else, though, Don's ministry is providing love and security for children in the inner city.

Beth Mattinson: Clowning Around Brings Joy

Beth Mattinson's ministry is a little out of the mainstream. She's a clown.

"I believe true clowns minister everywhere they go -- whether it's on the street at a parade, in a hospital or nursing home, at a community event, or in a church," she says. Since moving to the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and being a part of Kings Church in New Minas, she ministers through gospel clowning mainly in churches and nursing homes.

"It isn't simply entertainment and it's not preaching in a costume," Beth explains. "It is a way of touching souls -- making someone see the brighter side of life, making them smile and forget their troubles, even for a few moments."

Best of all, like any true layperson, Beth doesn't only help the people to whom she ministers. Through her clown ministry, she has also grown in her faith and in her ability to communicate it.

Wendi Prinse, Debra Elliott, Margaret Hill, Sonja Reid: Reaching Out Through a Christian Pre-School

Noah's Ark Pre-School at Cooke's Church in Chilliwack, British Columbia, is in its third year of existence. Founded to provide a Christian environment for young children, Noah's Ark ministers to children physically, socially, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

"We firmly believe you can't start telling about God's love too early in life," says Wendi Prinse, a layperson who was involved in the development of Noah's Ark. The school combines regular pre-school activities with Bible stories, prayers and grace before meals.

The pre-school ministry has become a ministry of outreach. More than 50 per cent of the children who attend do not have any church affiliation. The committee members also established the Rainbow Fund to subsidize families who otherwise could not afford pre-school for their children.

Although encouraged by the minister at Cooke's Church, Noah's Ark Pre-School was developed and managed entirely by lay ministers.

Kevin and Mary Patrick: Helping Youth Test Their Wings

For over 20 years, Kevin and Mary Patrick have ministered to young people -- co-ordinating the junior and senior high youth groups at St. Giles Kingsway Church in Etobicoke, Ontario. But their ministry extends to making weekly contact with each youth, organizing special events, and choosing curriculum and teachers for youth in Sunday church school.

The junior high meets on Thursday evenings from 7 to 8:30. The Patricks aim to build and develop the young people's faith through games, sports, singing and Bible study. At senior high, held on Friday evenings from 7 to 10:30, the youth have the opportunity to challenge their own faith and to test their wings.

The groups have participated in the World Vision 30-Hour Famine, prepared food for the Scott Mission and the local food bank, and contributed to the family worship service.

Rea-belle Christiani: Extending the Role of Lay Ministers

After 15 years as an elementary school teacher, and over 20 years as a mother of four, Rea-belle Christiani became the director of adult education and congregational fellowship at Melville Church in Scarborough, Ontario. This part-time, paid position included leadership training and church school supervision as her time allowed, but her primary ministry was to adults.

Rea-belle began by organizing a weekly "Time Out" for parents with pre-school children. More than 35 parents attended, leaving their children in care provided by volunteers from the congregation. She expanded to a monthly women's "Night Out," a seniors group, several Bible study groups, and social events. She also organized day outings, such as trips to the Shaw Festival or to Stratford, and bus tours to Quebec, Missouri, Pennsylvania and other parts of Canada and the United States.

Perhaps the most telling part of Rea-belle's effectiveness as a lay minister, however, lies in the fact that many of the programs she began continued after she resigned to take a more voluntary role. Her ministry has extended to other members of the congregation who are becoming lay ministers in their own right.

Wallace Whyte, recently retired minister from Melville, sums up the value of lay ministry to a congregation: "I have learned too late to free and delegate the laity to take leadership roles in the congregation.... [This frees the minister's] time for preparing sermons, visiting new families and where there are needs, counselling couples planning marriage and requesting baptism of children. In my opinion, the congregation is the healthier for this arrangement."

Thank you to everyone who wrote with stories about lay ministry. Unfortunately, we could not use all of them, but we tried to choose stories that are representative.

Kathy Cawsey, a member of Knox Church, Waterloo, Ont., is studying at Oxford University, England.