Lay Licensing & Training

The bishop will license a lay person at the request of the priest in charge. In order to be considered for licensing, a lay person must be a confirmed communicant in good standing. The license is issued for three years and may require additional training before renewal.

Once the required training is completed and an Application – Licensed Lay Ministries is submitted, the priest in charge contacts the Bishop Office by email to attest to the completion of the training and request that a license be issued.

Licensed ministries include:

  • Eucharistic Minister  – administers the chalice at public worship services (see more below)
  • Eucharistic Visitor  – takes communion to home-bound members (see more below)
  • Worship Leader – regularly leads public worship  (e.g. leading Morning or Evening Prayer and Compline) in the absence of a clergy person or leads public worship services in hospitals, prisons, and other institutions (see more below)
  • Preacher – is authorized to preach; lay preachers have at least two years of seminary education, successfully completed Education for Ministry, or other equivalent training or preparation accepted by the Bishop and have had training in public speaking with a priest or other person designated by the Bishop (see more below)
  • Catechist – prepares candidates for Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows
  • Evangelist – shares the Gospel with persons who are not Christian, leads small groups in the community, starts new worshiping communities, etc. Evangelists also inspire, encourage, and equip church members to be effective witnesses to the Good News in Jesus Christ
  • Others– the Bishop may designate other ministers in consultation with the Commission on Ministry

In all cases, the lay person functions at the request of and under the authority of the clergy in charge of a congregation or faith community.

A Eucharistic Minister is a lay person authorized to administer the consecrated elements at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic Minister acts under the direction of clergy exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

Training and Licensing

Individuals wishing to serve as Eucharistic Ministers and/or Eucharistic Visitors should do the following:

  1. Meet with your clergyperson to discuss the ministry of a Eucharistic Minister and your desire to serve in this ministry.
  2. Ensure that you are currently a confirmed communicant in good standing in your parish.
  3. Complete appropriate training with your parish clergyperson. Training curriculum is determined by Rector or Priest in Charge of congregation.
  4. Ensure that your Safe Church certification is up to date.
  5. After above requirements are complete, you will be ready to apply to the bishop’s office for a license. Please work with your parish clergy to submit the Eucharistic Minister License Application.

The Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island licenses lay people to serve as Eucharistic Visitors. Training for this ministry is conducted by the Diocese.

The Ministry

A Eucharistic Visitor is a lay person authorized to take the consecrated elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist to members of the congregation who, by reason of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the Celebration of the Eucharist. A Eucharistic Visitor acts under the direction of the member of the clergy exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

Training and Licensing

Individuals wishing to serve as Eucharistic Visitors should do the following:

  1. Meet with your clergyperson to discuss the ministry of a Eucharistic and your desire to serve in this ministry.
  2. Ensure that you are currently a confirmed/received communicant in good standing in your parish.
  3. Contact the Diocesan Eucharistic Visitor Trainer at diohouse@episcopalri.org
  4. Ensure that your Safe Church certification is up to date.
  5. The church office must run a background check.
  6. After above requirements are complete, you will be ready to apply to the bishop’s office for a license. Please work with your parish clergy to submit the Eucharistic Visitor License Application.

The Bishop will license a lay person at the request of the priest in charge. In order to be considered for licensing, a lay person must be a confirmed communicant in good standing. The license is issued for three years and may require additional training before renewal. Lay preachers “have at least two years of seminary education, successfully completed Education for Ministry, or equivalent training or preparation accepted by the Bishop.” Equivalent training includes either successful completion of the three pre-requisite classes offered by Bexley Seabury or graduation from Education for Ministry, followed by the Preaching Sermon Camp at Bexley Seabury. All this is in accordance with Canon III.4.5 of the National Canons: “A Preacher is a lay person authorized to preach. Persons so authorized shall only preach in congregations under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other
community of faith.”

Additional requirements:

The first step is a conversation with your Priest-in-Charge to have a conversation and discern.

Diocesan Guidelines for Licensed Worship Leaders

According to Title III, Canon 4 of The Constitution and Canons of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, 2018 Of Licensed Ministries:

Sec. 1
A confirmed communicant in good standing or, in extraordinary circumstances, subject to guidelines established by the Bishop, a communicant in good standing, may be licensed by the Ecclesiastical Authority to serve as Pastoral Leader, Worship Leader, Preacher, Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Evangelist, or Catechist.

Sec. 2
The Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith may request the Ecclesiastical Authority with jurisdiction to license persons within that congregation or other community of faith to exercise such ministries. The license shall be issued for a period of time to be determined under Canon III.4.1(a) and may be renewed.

Sec. 4
A Worship Leader is a lay person who regularly leads public worship under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other faith community.

Steps for Licensing:

  1. Letter of recommendation by Rector/PIC/Vicar
  2. Application – Licensed Lay Ministries
  3. Bexley Seabury Seminary Worship Leader Training Registration
  4. Safe Church Training Modules for Worship Leader
  5. Background Check – Active Screening Faith

Once these steps are completed, please submit application with supporting materials to maryann@episcopalri.org

The diocese will reimburse $150.00 half of the cost of the $300.00 Bexley Seabury Worship Leader class-please submit receipt to maryann@episcopalri.org 

Licensed Worship Leaders are not paid, and the Bishop prefers that they serve as Worship Leaders only in their own congregation.

The Bishop will license a lay person at the request of the priest in charge. In order to be considered for licensing, a lay person must be a confirmed communicant in good standing. The license is issued for three years and may require additional training before renewal. Lay worship leader applicants are asked to complete the training offered by Bexley-Seabury Seminary, the details of which will be found here. The Diocese will contribute to the required tuition, with the remainder to be split between the parish and applicant.

A licensed Worship Leader may read a sermon from Sermons that Work, the approved resource for The Episcopal Church, https://www.episcopalchurch.org/sermons-that-work/,  a sermon from a resource that has been approved by their priest, or occasionally offer a personal reflection approved by their priest.  Only a licensed Preacher may compose their own sermon and preach regularly in public worship, and the process to prepare for that ministry may be found here https://www.episcopalri.org/lay-preacher/