Many of the parishes in the diocese are “in transition” and do not necessarily have a priest to celebrate the Eucharist each Sunday. Additionally, parishes are rediscovering the daily office and considering ways to have lay-led weekday services. Lay-led services are an opportunity for renewal: to encourage lay people to live into the vows they made in their baptismal covenant, which reminds us that each and every one of us, lay or ordained, is called to participate in worship by virtue of our baptism. We are asked,
“Will you continue in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in the prayers?” We answer, “I will, with God’s help.”
If your parish is often or occasionally without clergy and you are a lay leader who would be able and willing to lead in services, you are invited to approach your wardens or clergy about being nominated by the bishop to attend an upcoming seven-week course. Upon successful completion of the course, a conversation will be held about how and when you might help lead services of the word in your parish.
The Diocese of Islands and Inlets is presenting a seven-part course from mid-September to mid-November 2022 designed to equip lay leaders. The course will provide the skills and resources for laity to lead worship services, morning and evening prayer and the liturgy of the word (a church service without the Eucharist).
The seven sessions will equip lay leaders to:
- Understand the purpose of liturgy
- Follow the lectionary and examine its purpose in worship/liturgical formation
- Understand our Anglican, geographical, social and historical context
- Become familiar with the broad principals and structure of the BCP and the BAS
- Pray creatively and prepare intercessory prayers
- Access the available liturgical, lectionary, prayer and sermon resources needed to plan and lead a worship service.
Dates, time and location: Via Zoom, Thursdays, 7 p.m., Sept. 22, Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Oct. 20, Oct. 27, Nov. 3 and Nov. 10
Required reading: The Liturgical Year: the spiraling adventure of the spiritual life by Joan Chittister (2009, from the Ancient Practices Series)
Registration: Participants should contact their warden, priest or archdeacon to express interest in this course.
In partnership with Bishop Anna Greenwood-Lee, this course is brought to you by:
Ingrid Andersen, incumbent at Church of the Advent, Colwood, Diocese of Islands and Inlets (BC)
Ingrid’s role is to offer leadership with the design and content of this course and assist with discerning and scheduling session leaders. An Anglican priest for eighteen years in post-apartheid South Africa, Ingrid has a Master of Adult Education and is engaged in her Doctor of Adult Education studies at Penn State University. Her research focus is on building the capacity of lay and ordained church leadership to respond appropriately to parish teaching and learning needs. She has developed and taught courses in church growth, small group/home church lay leadership and lay worship skills training for the Diocese of Central Pennsylvania. She has a special focus on human rights, social justice, community development, peacebuilding, healing and reconciliation.
Donna Joy, retired parish priest, Diocese of Rupert’s Land
Donna’s role is to help with the design and content of this course. Donna has participated in parish, diocesan and national church leadership roles initially as a lay person, and since she became ordained in 1990. Ongoing lifelong learning has remained a priority for her, with a particular focus on equipping lay leaders to plan and lead worship. In addition to this, she is passionate about collaborative leadership and ministry models, conflict management and children’s religious formation. Recently she has been exploring these topics at Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis, MO.
