Certified Lay Speaker Renewal / Annual Report

In order to maintain active status, certified lay speakers should submit this report every year. The report covers July 1 of the prior year through June 30 of the current year. As such, the best time to fill out the annual report is after July 1 and before your charge conference. If you have questions about filling out this form, please reach out to Josey Snyder (josey.snyder@nccumc.org).

If you are not yet a lay speaker and would like to become one, please fill out the application.

"*" indicates required fields

Recertification

Lay speakers are renewed annually, but extra steps are required to recertify every three years. If this is your year to recertify, you will need a new background check and we will need to confirm that you have completed an advanced course at some point during the past three years.

Is this your year to recertify?*

Yes, it has been 3 years since my last certification.

No. I am simply submitting my annual report.

Data on Certified Lay Speaker

Name*

Prefix First Middle Last Suffix

Preferred First Name*

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

Email*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Phone*

Preferred contact number

New Address?*

Do you need to update your address in our files?

Yes, I moved!

No. My address has not changed.

Personal Address*

Street Address Address Line 2 City State ZIP Code

Data on Lay Speaker's Church

Please provide the following information about the church where you are a member.

Church Name and Location*

Enter the name of your church and the town or city where it it located.

District*

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

Pastor's Name*

We will email the pastor a copy of your annual report, along with a link to fill out a simple form as their electronic signature to affirm your certification as a lay speaker.

First Last

Pastor's Email*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Church Council Chair Name*

We will also email your church council chair a copy of your report, along with a link to fill out a simple form as their electronic signature to affirm your certification as a lay speaker. This will satisfy the requirement of having your church council or charge conference offer their recommendation for renewal.

First Last

Church Council Chair Email*

Enter Email Confirm Email

Requirements toward Recertification

Lay speakers renew annually and recertify every three years. If you indicated that you are recertifying, we will ask you about your background check and your most recent advanced course. If you are not recertifying this year, you will still have the opportunity to enter any Lay Servant Ministry advanced courses that you have taken.

Lay Servant Ministry Courses*

Did you take any advanced courses this year? If so, you can list them on your report and we will be sure to have that information for your file when it is time to recertify.

Yes

Advanced Course*

Enter the course name, date, and location of the most recent advanced course you have completed. If the course was offered through BeADisciple or another source other than our districts, please enter that information in the "district" box. (If you would like to enter more than one course, click the plus sign at the end of the row.)

Course Title

Date (Month/Year)

District

Instructor

Background Check*

NCCUMC policy requires a background check through our Conference provider every three years for re-certification. Do you need to request a background check?

Yes, please email me the form to request a background check.

No. I have already completed this requirement.

Spiritual Growth and Continued Discernment of Call

Please answer the following questions thoughtfully and prayerfully. These questions are designed to aid in your discernment and to help the district and conference committees on Lay Servant Ministries to walk alongside you as your discern and respond to God's call in your life.

Personal Spirituality*

What spiritual practices help you grow closer to God?

Aspects of LSM*

Lay Servant Ministries includes ministries of Leading, Caring, and Communicating. Which one of these aspects fits you best and why?

Reflection on Prior Year*

How have you lived into your role and calling as a certified lay speaker during this past year?

Continued Discernment of Call*

In what ways are you feeling called to be in ministry during the upcoming year? If you are feeling called to a new or different form of ministry, how are you working toward that?

Lay Speaker Short Bio

In an effort to increase the visibility of lay speakers within the conference, we are including short bios on our website for all active lay speakers.

Click this link to check for your lay speaker bio. Link will open in a new tab so you do not lose your work.

Did you check your bio?*

My bio is on the website and needs no changes.

My bio is there, but I'd like to update it.

My bio is not yet on the website.

Updates to Bio*

Provide any updates or additions here and we'll make the needed changes to the website. Thank you!

Short Bio*

Your 3-sentence short bio might follow this model: 1) Introduce yourself (one sentence); 2) Why are you a lay speaker? (one sentence); 3) A little bit about yourself (one sentence). For example: "Sally Smith is a Certified Lay Speaker, having received her certification in 2014. Sally's passion is in connecting the stories of the Bible to our lives, and bringing her extensive knowledge of history into the pulpit. Sally currently attends Greater Heights United Methodist Church in Franklinton, where she sings in the choir as well as serves as the church historian."

Feedback for Lay Servant Ministries

We value your feedback as we seek to support the ministries of laity in the NC Conference.

Improvements

Please share any recommendations you have for improving Lay Servant Ministries in the North Carolina Annual Conference.

Support

How can we best support you and your ministry during the coming year?

Next Steps - Renewal

Once you submit this report, we will reach out to your pastor and the church council chair with a simple form they can fill out to offer their electronic signature affirming that you continue to be recognized as a certified lay speaker. Be sure you are in conversation with both so they will know your intentions and anticipate this email. Once we have received both recommendations, the district committee on Lay Servant Ministries will review your materials.

Next Steps - Recertification

Once you submit this report, we will reach out to your pastor and the church council chair with a simple form they can fill out to offer their electronic signature affirming that you continue to be recognized as a certified lay speaker for the coming year. Once all materials for recertification are received, your district committee on Lay Servant Ministries will review your materials and reach out for a conversation/interview. The district committee can then recommend you to the conference committee on Lay Servant Ministries, who can vote to recertify your status as a certified lay speaker.

Phone

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Recertification

Data on Certified Lay Speaker

Data on Lay Speaker's Church

Requirements toward Recertification

Spiritual Growth and Continued Discernment of Call

Lay Speaker Short Bio

Feedback for Lay Servant Ministries

Next Steps - Renewal

Next Steps - Recertification

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