I recently heard two rather contrasting stories about lay ministry that got my attention.
It seems a woman named Mildred had been head of the altar guild at a large midwestern parish for many years. During her long tenure, fewer and fewer people had become active members. Finally, there were just a couple of long-time members who dusted and swept occasionally in the sanctuary. But no one except Mildred had been in the sacristy in years. "The secrets of the sacristy" were known to her alone. Shortly after a new rector arrived, Mildred became ill. No one could remember the last time she ha not been at church. But on this occasion, they were lost without her present.
Recognizing the need for change, the new rector set out to reorganize the altar guild. Mildred was graciously retired, and honored for her service with the grandest reception in recent memory. Far from being "retired" with nothing to do, she was encouraged to take on other responsibilities.
In a very small parish, there was always a modest refreshment hour after services. Sometimes there were just a few doughnuts or homegrown oranges to accompany the coffee. But every week Joan made sure there was a supply of festive or seasonally appropriate napkins on the table. No one else had thought to buy napkins in years. They were always just there. When the bishop visited one spring, he commented on the beautiful napkins to the whole parish. Joan’s silent "ministry of the napkins" finally received recognition.
I’m sure each of these stories elicits different responses from us. What struck me was that in each example, existing ministries are affirmed in different ways. Yet, we all bring different gifts to God’s table. Whatever the gifts, they need to be recognized, nurtured, and utilized, for the enrichment and health of the parish, and for the appreciation and satisfaction of God’s ministers, the lay people.
Our mission statement for the Commission on Lay Ministry Development is threefold: affirm existing ministries; nurture emerging ministries; seed new ministries. To accomplish these goals, we are starting and developing programs, which will focus on the following:
>Nurture clergy commitment to lay ministry;
Educate congregations in lay ministry; and
Inform the broader church community about lay ministry.
We hope members of our diocesan parishes were encouraged to participate in the Ministry Fair and to become more involved in the many aspects of lay ministry. The Christian Education Department at the Cathedral Center continues to be a resource for a huge variety of ministries at varying stages of development.
Lee Harris is a member of Saint Mark’s, Upland, and a member of the Diocesan Commission of Lay Ministry Development. This article is reprinted from The Angelus, the clergy newsletter of the Diocese of Los Angeles.