Explore Your Call to Leadership

• Is God calling you to lead or serve in your church congregation?
• Are you interested in building a ministry team for community impact?
• Are you interested in receiving theological, cultural and practical ministry training?

The Certified Lay Ministry Academy was established for spiritual formation, community connections and academic training.  Certified Lay Ministers (CLM's) are trained, equipped and certified to fulfill their unique God calling, enhance the quality of ministry to small membership churches and to expand team ministry in churches.

Academy

The next Academy dates will be announced after June 2022. 

To Become Certified

Once a student has completed the Certified Lay Ministry Academy and has been approved for certification, he/she may request an assignment as a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) from the District Superintendent to provide Lay Servant leadership in a ministry or in a church for significant service in a wide variety of mission fields and settings.

Certified Lay Ministers preach the Word, provide care for the congregation, assist in program leadership, and serve as witnesses in the community to further the growth, mission and connectional thrust of the United Methodist Church as part of a ministry team with the supervision and support of a clergy person. 

Currently, more than sixty Certified Lay Ministers are leading his/her ministry team or serving within the West Ohio Conference in areas such as: small membership church assignment, prison ministries, medical clinics, congregational care, youth ministries, community outreach, mission and justice, preaching, diversity ministries and many others.

For full Certified Lay Ministry Academy details or for more information in becoming a Certified Lay Minister contact: Kathy Moore at certifiedlayministry@wocumc.org.