Although October is Clergy Appreciation Month, the third Sunday of October has been established by the General Conference to be observed as Laity Sunday. Laity Sunday celebrates the ministry of all lay Christians. Laity comes from the word laos, meaning "people of God," and used to describe members of a congregation or parish.

Lay members of the church serve in their local churches, their communities, and in their everyday vocation. This month we share the story of lay person James Stallworth, member of Gaines United Methodist church who found a church home that “fit” and now provides leadership in his local church and lives out his faith as an educator in the Cincinnati Public School system.

Igniting a slow burn – and stepping into leadership

Although his friends saw James Stallworth as a leader, he did not see it. “I’m a slow burn to seeing my gifts,” he said.

In college, a marching bandmate told a doubtful Stallworth he would become the next drum major. Within two years, that prediction came true.

Raised as a Southern Baptist, Stallworth loved attending church, but it began to feel routine with no connection. Stallworth stopped attending church.

Living away from the church impacted Stallworth’s relationship with his mother as they often disagreed on the interpretation of Scripture. He also was figuring out his identity. “As a Black man on the East Coast, attending an Ivy League University, finding out about my sexuality, there was so much I was trying to figure out. I didn’t know where God fit.” Yet, Stallworth never lost his faith in God.

After 12 years, Stallworth reconnected with his mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. He described the experience as “kind of like you are holding on to slippery sand,” reflecting on the lost time and her deteriorating health. To cope, he felt the need to return to church and the grounding in which he grew up.

Coping through his pain, Stallworth accepted an invitation from a colleague to visit her church, Gaines United Methodist in Cincinnati. “It fit,” Stallworth said, and he joined within three months. Soon after Stallworth became a member of Gaines, his mother died. He believes she died knowing he was safe in his new faith community.

Today in his local church, Stallworth serves in multiple capacities. He chairs the Staff Parish Relations Committee and is a lay speaker, roles outside of his comfort zone.

As a layperson, Stallworth knows the power and responsibility of laity taking your faith to the community and your field of work. Seen as a relationship builder by his colleagues, he said, “As a vice principal, I represent my faith to where I am.”

To understand your call, Stallworth suggests, “Step out of your comfort zone. A light will lead a path to someone. You have to go through and wrestle with it and ask, ‘What is God asking me to do?’ Identify it. Feel it. Own it.”

Written by Amy Graham, Freelance Writer for the West Ohio Conference