There are thousands of lay ministers using their gifts in a wide variety of different roles, serving alongside ordained ministers. Youth and children’s ministers, churchwardens, licensed lay ministers, and many chaplains, evangelists, missionaries and pioneers are lay people, who are not ordained.
Lay ministries cover a huge variety of different forms of Christian service and there are a range of lay ministry roles available in different dioceses.
Lay ministry falls broadly into three categories: Recognised, Authorised and Licensed.
In the Diocese of Norwich there are several pathways in lay ministry such as:
Holy Communion Assistants
The term Holy Communion Assistants includes those who assist in the distribution of Holy Communion at the Eucharist, and those who may take Holy Communion using previously consecrated elements to the sick, housebound, or residential care homes.
Licensed Lay Ministers
A Licensed Lay Minister (or Reader) is a voluntary minister authorised by the bishop to teach and preach, conduct worship and assist with the pastoral ministry of a church.
Anna Chaplaincy
Anna Chaplaincy is a ministry which offers spiritual care in later life.
Authorised Pastoral Assistant (APA)
Authorised Pastoral Assistants are trained and authorised to engage in pastoral ministry on behalf of the local church, working as part of a team of clergy and laity.
Authorised Worship Assistants
An Authorised Worship Assistant (AWA) is, within his or her own benefice, able to assist the incumbent with the Ministry of the Word and in conducting worship.
Churchwardens
Each parish church is required to have two churchwardens though there are some occasional exceptions to this rule.
Do you feel called to Lay Ministry in Norfolk and Waveney?
If you would like to explore a calling to lay ministry, please do speak to your local vicar, or get in touch with the ministry team at the Diocese. Each year we run a Shared Vocations Space from September to January, which is an opportunity to explore the different routes of ministry with a group of people and the vocations team.