Certified Lay Minister Application

The application for the 2026–2027 Certified Lay Minister Candidate Training Program is due August 27, 2026. If you are considering applying, please contact lsm@nccumc.org so we can connect with you, answer questions, and help you think through next steps. This also helps us plan for the cohort.

We encourage you to review the required in-person cohort dates and place them on your calendar as you discern participation.

Data on Applicant

Name(Required)

Prefix First Middle Last Suffix

Preferred First Name(Required)

By what name do you prefer to be addressed? (Example: Cathy instead of Catherine; Bob instead of Robert.) Default is legal first name.

Address(Required)

Street Address Address Line 2 City State / Province / Region ZIP / Postal Code Country

Phone(Required)

Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Birth Date(Required)

Gender(Required)

Race/Ethnicity(Required)

Dietary Restrictions(Required)

During our in-person days, we like to arrange a group meal. Do you have any dietary restrictions the group will need to be aware of for meal planning?

Data on Applicant's Church

Please enter the following information about your local church. Your application requires support from your pastor, church council chair, and S/PPRC chair, as well as the approval of your district superintendent. After submission, we will contact each of these leaders to confirm their support.

Church Name(Required)

District(Required)

This form is only for those interested in becoming certified lay ministers in the North Carolina Conference. In which North Carolina district is your church located?

Pastor's Name(Required)

First Last

Pastor's Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Church Council Chair's Name(Required)

If you are the church council chair, please enter your own name and email here. When you receive the email requesting that you fill out the recommendation form for yourself, you can forward that form to an appropriate substitute. Consult with your pastor on the best person to fill out that recommendation in your place.

First Last

Church Council Chair's Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Staff / Pastor-Parish Relations Committee Chair's Name(Required)

If you are the S/PPRC chair, please enter your own name and email here. When you receive the email requesting that you fill out the recommendation form for yourself, you can forward that form to an appropriate substitute. Consult with your pastor on the best person to fill out that recommendation in your place.

First Last

Staff / Pastor-Parish Relations Committiee Chair's Email(Required)

Enter Email Confirm Email

Education and Leadership

Education(Required)

Please very briefly describe your educational background, including the highest form of education you have received. If you have participated in any formal theological training (Course of Study, seminary, etc.), please describe.

Local Church Leadership(Required)

Briefly describe your involvement in your local church, such as leadership positions, groups you enjoy, church activities, etc.

District/Conference Leadership

If you have served in any leadership capacity at the district or conference level (committees, delegate, etc.), please describe.

Community Leadership

Describe your community involvement and volunteer work, such as participation in community organizations, social clubs, service agencies, or any community outreach programs.

Calling

Interest(Required)

What draws you to certified lay ministry? What do you hope to gain through participation in this program?

Call(Required)

Knowing that continued discernment during the candidate training program may shift your goals, what can you share now about your understanding of your call? For example, do you envision your work as a CLM to take place in your home church? If so, in what capacity? Alternatively, if you are already serving as a supply pastor and/or you are interested in an assignment as a lay pastor of another congregation, please share that.

Commitment

Timing(Required)

Knowing that the time commitment for the candidate training program and your work as a certified lay minister is significant, what convinces you that now is the right time to pursue certification as a lay minister?

Required Session Days(Required)

This program requires full participation in five in-person meetings (10am–3pm) at the NC Conference Building in Garner. To ensure your availability, we ask that you check your calendar now and commit to attending all sessions. While we understand when illness prevents attendance, we ask that you coordinate with your pastor and congregation to avoid scheduling conflicts with church meetings or events.

Yes! I commit to being present for the meetings on 9/26/2026, 11/7/2026, 1/30/2027, 2/27/2027, and 4/10/2027.

I have an unavoidable conflict with one of the session dates and would like to discuss whether this is the right year for me.

Other

Financial Commitment(Required)

We strive to keep costs affordable, but participation in the program does include a financial commitment of approximately $350 over the course of the year. This does not include expenses related to the required Lay Servant Ministries prerequisite courses or travel to and from in-person sessions.

I intend to cover these costs myself and am able to make this financial commitment to my training.

I will ask my church to contribute toward these costs as part of their support for my training.

In addition to seeking support from my church, I anticipate requesting a scholarship from the Conference to help cover a portion of these costs.

Next Steps

LSM Course Prerequisites Needed(Required)

Please select any of the following prerequisite courses you still need to complete for the CLM program. These courses are offered in summer Zoom sessions.

Basic Course in Lay Servant Ministries (July 18, 8am-4:30pm)

Life Together in the UMC (UM Polity; August 1, 8am-4:30pm)

Living our United Methodist Beliefs (UM History; August 29, 8am-4:30pm)

I have completed all of these requirements.

Safe Sanctuaries(Required)

We offer a Safer Sanctuaries course designed specifically for CLMs, pastors, and church leaders. If you have not yet completed this training, please plan to attend one of the two offerings named below.

I have already completed this requirement.

I will attend the in-person workshop at White Plains UMC (Cary) on July 11, 2026 (10am-noon).

I will attend the Zoom workshop on January 9, 2027 (8:30am-noon).

I am unable to attend either scheduled workshop and will contact the office to discuss alternative options for completing this requirement.

Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI)(Required)

We will introduce the IDI at your orientation session in September. All CLM candidates will be asked to complete the IDI and participate in a 60-minute individual debrief to understand their results. No action is needed now, but please indicate your prior experience with the IDI.

I have already completed the IDI and participated in a debrief to understand my results.

I have taken the IDI before, but it has been more than two years, and I would like to take it again.

I have not taken the IDI before.

Questions / Feedback

Do you have any questions or concerns that you would like to share with us at this juncture?

Application Fee

The application fee helps cover the cost of printing your CLM notebook, which includes the module workbooks from Discipleship Ministries. If you’re unable to pay the fee today, you may request support from your church or apply for a scholarship. We are committed to making this opportunity accessible for all.

Payment(Required)

I will pay by credit card today.

I will request support from my church and/or a scholarship to cover this fee.

CLM Application(Required)

Price:

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Data on Applicant

Data on Applicant's Church

Education and Leadership

Calling

Commitment

Next Steps

Application Fee