Lay preacher training
The European Institute of Christian Studies(EICS) is excited to announce a year-long formation program to become a certified Lay Preacher.
The Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe will begin training approximately six to eight prospective lay preachers starting in September 2024. Those interested should contact their local clergy, who will then propose suitable candidates. Candidates should be committed parish members keen to share their faith and deepen their own formation, who are also known and respected members of their local and church communities. It is hoped that many of those attending the course will be licensed by Bishop Mark as Lay Preachers in their parish/mission. The cost will be €250 per person.
COURSE OUTLINE
The one-year course combines regular self-study and in-person meetings with our trainers, The Rev. Michael Rusk and the Rev. Scott Moore. Curriculum materials in video and PDF document form are accessed online through a dedicated Google Classroom platform. Trainees will be expected to devote an average of 90 minutes per week to self-study and an additional half-day per month attending a group meeting via Zoom.
BACKGROUND
The Lay Preacher Training Initiative is a local formation experience designed to prepare effective, confident, and passionate licensed lay preachers for our Church. A grant from Trinity Church Wall Street enabled the development and rigorous pilot testing of the program in six dioceses, raising up two local trainers and up to six lay preachers in each, all of whom completed studies of scripture and theology, exegesis strategies, and practical homiletics. The cornerstone of the program is preaching to feedback, both to peers within the cohort and regularly in their local congregations.
The first 30 lay preachers to complete the Lay Preacher pilot program celebrated their new ministry at Washington National Cathedral in November 2023; one of these, Dr. Freida Herron was invited to preach the closing sermon at the 2024 annual conference of the Episcopal Parish Network.
DIOCESAN TESTIMONIAL
“For many years, we have been making noise about the ministry of all God’s people, but with little concrete progress. The Lay Preaching Initiative provided us the means to act. The cohort of lay preachers is developing an authentic lay voice of Gospel proclamation in our diocese that is both encouraging and challenging. Their good work has stirred our imagination to explore new possibilities for lay ministry in other areas and I am extremely grateful to the participants, diocesan tutors, the Episcopal Preaching Foundation and Trinity Wall Street.”
The Rt Rev Mark Van Koevering, VIII Bishop of Lexington June 2023