The School for Lay Ministry Spring 2025
Join a 12-month journey to grow as a faithful and effective lay leader
Start date:
-
End date:
- Price
Interested in joining the waitlist for future cohort?
Program Overview
As increasing numbers of congregations become lay-led by choice or necessity, we need leaders equipped to respond to God's call in new and faithful ways. Perhaps you're feeling called to take on more leadership in your congregation, but aren't sure where to start. Maybe you're already leading, but want to deepen your theological foundation and practical skills.
That's why we created the School for Lay Ministry—a twelve-month journey where you'll join peers and mentors to learn:
Your Learning Experience Includes:
Session Schedule
- 39 contact hours
- 13 lessons
Through 39 contact hours and 13 structured lessons, participants will engage in guided discussions, teachings, and collaborative learning experiences that equip them to serve with confidence and clarity.
Session 1: Welcome
Get oriented to the school, experience and pray with the community; make spiritual connections, and begin the work for the course.
May 17, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Session 2: You Can Preach!
Gain the tools and skills you need to preach faithful sermons. In this unit, you'll discover spiritually nourishing ways to prepare and deliver sermons that will connect and uplift your community.
June 21, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Session 3: Your Spiritual Life Sustains Your Ministry
Take the mystery and overwhelm out of how to connect with God and grow in your faith. You'll come away with fresh practices and be renewed in ways that will sustain you for life and leadership in the church and world.
July 19, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 4: Your Gifts Are Needed
Stop questioning whether you have spiritual gifts! This unit gives you the biblical basis for spiritual gifts, skills in how to recognize and encourage others in their gifts, and tools to help you use your gifts to serve God and others.
August 16, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 5: You Can Plan Worship—Together
By the end of this module, you will be able to build worship services and work with your community to lead them. Use the worship service builder tool to evaluate your services and create new ones.
September 13, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Session 6: Provide Care and Practice Boundaries
Deepen your trust in how Jesus provides us with care and comfort so that we may provide caring visits, support, and prayer for those in our congregation. By the end of this module you will have a customized spiritual visit guidebook to take with you to hospital calls, home visits, and more. Students will also come away with training around boundaries for ministry.
October 11, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 7: The Church and God's Mission
Dive into how the church is a part of God's mission in the world and how we are all called to join in. From theological basics to strategies for using your building, you'll gain new perspectives and tools to strengthen any community you are a part of.
November 15, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 8: Empowered to Manage Ministry
From the challenges of financial management to working with others on councils, lay leaders are called upon to complete all kinds of daily work, weekly, monthly, and even annual work to aid in the running of the church. Discover again or for the very first time how this is holy work and be renewed to serve in the vital day-to-day ministry of the church.
December 13, 2025 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 9: Hope and Encouragement for Small Churches and Rural Ministry
Both small congregations and rural settings have been foundational to God's work in the world from the ancient church to now. Yet, smaller communities can struggle without fresh hope and encouragement. Get a new appreciation for your community and use these skills to spread that joy to others.
January 17, 2026 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 10: The Bible Comes Alive
Not only will this unit give you a solid theological grounding in what the Bible is, but you will also get insight into the Gospels to assist you further with preaching and teaching in your community. By the end of this unit, your appreciation for the Bible will deepen and further enrich your spiritual life.
February 21, 2026 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 11: Journey Through Scripture
Equipped and oriented to the Bible from the previous unit, you'll dive into Scripture with a special emphasis on the Gospels and how to connect the Bible to your life today.
March 21, 2026 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 12: Our Historical Roots
Learn about the people in Christian history who risked it all and changed the world! You'll hear stories of how some of the most unexpected of leaders emerged and gain a strong foundation in how Christianity has grown over the years.
April 18, 2026 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m CT
Session 13: Faithful Innovation
End the School for Lay Ministry on a strong and hopeful note as you are equipped to faithfully innovate and come away with a doable spiritual practice to use in your congregation.The School for Lay Ministry combines online learning, spiritual practices, and supportive community to help you grow as a leader. Each gathering weaves together theological reflection, skill development, and practical application.
May 16, 2026 9:00 a.m. - 12 p.m. CT
Wondering if this is right for you?
The School for Lay Ministry is for people who sense God calling them into deeper leadership in their congregations. This journey might be your next faithful step if you:
Learn at Your Pace with On-Demand Lessons
Monthly lessons are available on-demand so that you can fit them into your schedule
- Access our on-demand lessons at your convenience.
- Each month, explore the course materials. You'll be engaged by our interactive activities and videos from trusted guides. Each unit includes spiritual practices and ideas you can start using in your community right away.
Monthly Cohort Meetings
Calls are on Saturdays from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. Central Time
- Join live monthly meetings to collaborate with your cohort and our experienced facilitator to process online learning and apply insights.
- Can't make a meeting? No worries! We record each session for later viewing.
Embrace Growth as You Serve
Put what you're learning into practice and get support from your cohort
- Apply your newfound knowledge to your ministry context.
- Receive unwavering support from your cohort throughout the year, fostering growth in faith, confidence, and leadership.
Receive a Faith+Lead Certificate
At the conclusion of the School for Lay Ministry, you may receive a Faith+Lead Certificate in Lay Ministry. If you are seeking certification, in addition to participating in the program, you will track your learning hours, report on your learning outcomes, and complete a final reflection project.
Save your seat
This transformative, twelve-month experience is just $600, paid upfront or in installments! We hope you’ll join us as we respond to God’s call in exciting and faithful ways: lead with confidence, with the tools you need and in community.
- Start date
- Price
Get to Know Your Instructor
The Rev. Marianne Ell
Canon of Strategic Mission
The Rev. Marianne Ell has spent all of her almost 35 years in ministry serving in small and rural congregations, as well as in Chaplaincy positions in both a hospital and a retirement community. Her passion is in developing leaders and equipping them for the ministries to which God is calling them. Rev. Ell enjoys helping communities discover opportunities for mission and exploring possibilities for vitality.
Currently, she serves as the canon for strategic mission in the Episcopal Church in Delaware. She received her Master of Divinity Degree from The Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, TX, and completed a Masters in Organizational Leadership at Columbia Southern University. Marianne and her husband live on a farm in Wittman, Maryland and have two sons and a daughter. She enjoys the outdoors and living near the water, grilling out with family and friends, traveling, exercising, and mowing grass (because she can see the lines).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Faith+Lead certificate and who might need it?
Faith+Lead certificates are a micro-credential that your regional church body may require for lay leaders stepping into authorized local ministry. If you are seeking certification, in addition to participating in the program, you will track your learning hours, report on your learning outcomes, and complete a final reflection project in order to receive your Faith+Lead certificate. Denominational or regional authorization not included.
I’m not ready yet. Will there be another offering of this?
Yes! Due to popular request, we plan to offer the School for Lay Ministry regularly. Keep an eye on your inbox for when we announce our next dates.
What if I can’t make it to one of the live monthly calls?
All calls are recorded and available for later viewing.
Who is this for?
Whether you’re a lay leader who has taken on additional responsibilities at church, or an everyday Jesus follower who wants to dive deeper in your discipleship and leadership, the School for Lay Ministry is for you.
What’s the time commitment?
This is a 12-month learning community with one monthly live call of 3 hours. In-between live calls, students will study materials and videos provided as their schedule allows.
Do I have to be part of a specific denomination to join?
The School for Lay Ministry is open to all denominations! For Lutheran students, a bonus unit focused on Lutheran theology is included.
Are there required textbooks or exams?
No. Your learning will come through live teaching, video lessons, handouts, and slides. There are recommended books that will be shared through the learning community, but they are not required. Many will be available via your local library or interlibrary loan.
There are no required exams, but students will have the option to regularly check their learning through interactive features. Those taking this to seek a lay pastor or lay ministry position have the option of completing regular, short evaluations that can be used as part of a ministry portfolio.
Is this suitable for lay pastor training for congregations or judicatories interested?
Yes. This one-year program gives students a basic foundation in a variety of practical and theological concepts to use in real-world lay ministry. This program does not authorize a person for ministry, but it can be used with local judicatory approval. Students must work with their local synod or denominational office.
