Making an Impact: 
Lay Speakers Ministry
FUMC Allen has a very fulfilling schedule for our youth and adult Lay Speakers. Being a Lay Speaker means "leading, caring and communicating", in any way your pastor asks. Our mission from FUMC Allen and the district are numerous. We have a great history and tradition to uphold that comes from Wesley himself. The Lay Speaker’s commitment and reward goes spiritual as we observe the Holy Spirit work through the roll of Lay Speaker and touch our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In our congregation and pastors have asked the lay speakers to plan and lead worship for Laity Sunday, Youth Sunday, GAW, Confirmation retreats, on mission trips, at smaller congregations in our district, and at nursing homes. At the two nursing homes we support (Victoria Gardens and Belmont) we touch over 20 people a week. We've also taught at VBS, Sunday school, shared scripture at Breakfast Club and Jedis for Jesus, and facilitated Disciple Bible studies, and served as congregational lay leaders and administrative board members. This is all done with approximately 23 lay speakers and we need more!
The history of lay speaking goes all the way back to John Wesley in England. Lay Speakers carried out duties that the priest was physically unable to meet. Later, on the American frontier, lay speakers supported pastors who were assigned to multiple churches, miles apart. These Lay speaking duties are still carried out today at FUMC Allen and with in our district by our trained lay speakers.
The training requirements are designed to maintain a Godly focus in our mission, teach us how to breakdown the scripture to present and give the new speaker confidence with public speaking. The basic Lay Speaker training course is 10 hours and we offer that in two different program; One over the fall semester and the other over two weekends. This basic course gives the new Lay Speaker the title of "local church lay speakers". The Local Lay Speaker serves in their congregation and in the nursing homes. In the established continuing education program the lay speakers attend advanced training and become a “certified lay speakers” who serves anywhere in our district.
Insight from Lay Speaker Afton Wommack
When I was in eighth grade, I talked to my dad a lot about God's plan for me, and different ways I could help people in my future. I looked up to several lay speakers in our church and my dad highly encouraged me complete the basic training class. I became a Local Lay Speaker.
My spiritual gift is "caring". I started helping to lead worship at Victoria Gardens nursing home at 14, reading scriptures and leading prayers. My favorite thing to do was to pray with the residents and patients there. This also lead me to volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities.
After completing my basic training course, I began planning worship services and preaching. As a Lay Speaker I have had the privilege of leading communion at GAW 2008 with Caitlin Caswell, reading scripture at GAW 2010 with Rachel Dill, and doing devos at UMYF and Victoria Gardens.
Lay speaking has been very important in my life by helped me develop my spiritual gifts for "caring". I'm now enrolled in nursing school full-time, so I can use my gift to its full potential. Lay speaking has been a wonderful experience for me, and I plan on continuing to be a certified lay speaker for the rest of my life.
To learn more about lay speaking ministries, contact Kevin Mechler at 214-395-0175.
