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Licensed Lay Ministry

From the Bishop of North Carolina

While ordained ministers, whether deacon or priest, are usually the ones who lead Sunday morning services, there are many opportunities in The Episcopal Church for lay people to lead and participate in services. If you are a lay person interested in becoming a worship leader, preacher, catechist, Eucharistic minister or Eucharistic visitor, please read the following guidelines and then talk to your rector or vicar about becoming licensed.

WORSHIP LEADER, PREACHER AND CATECHIST

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 community of faith.

A preacher is a layperson 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.

A catechist is a layperson authorized to prepare persons for baptism, confirmation, reception and the reaffirmation of baptismal vows, and shall function under the direction of the member of the clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

A license is issued for a period of time not to exceed three years.

A worship leader is someone who has regular responsibility in worship services, i.e. 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.

In the Diocese of North Carolina, the bishop does not license a preacher to preach sermons of their own composition, except in the case of persons who have at least two years of seminary education, successfully completed Education for Ministry through the University of the South, or other equivalent training or preparation accepted by the bishop.

A catechist is trained to prepare persons as above.

Training is required for worship leaders, preachers and catechists under the direction of a deacon or member of the clergy.

Worship Leader/Preacher/Catechist License Request
(Please scan and email the completed for to Elizabeth Dawkins or mail to:
Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
c/o Elizabeth Dawkins
200 West Morgan Street, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601)


EUCHARISTIC MINISTERS AND EUCHARISTIC VISITORS

A Eucharistic minister is a lay person authorized to administer the consecrated elements at a celebration of Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic minister should normally act under the direction of a deacon, if any, or otherwise, the member of the clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

A Eucharistic visitor is a layperson 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. A Eucharistic visitor should normally act under the direction of a deacon, if any, or otherwise, the member of the clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

A license is issued for a period of time not to exceed three years.

A Eucharistic minister is licensed to administer wine or bread in public worship. After three years or less, it is advisable to replace the Eucharistic minister, requiring at least one year before requesting re-license for another term. This rotation helps to prevent the appearance of perpetually entitled ministers and will share this ministry more widely among the congregation.

Please use your own judgment as to how many Eucharistic visitors you genuinely need for rotation of this ministry to take the sacrament directly from church to the sick and infirm.

The total number of Eucharistic ministers and visitors authorized in a congregation is left to the judgment of the rector, vicar or priest-in-charge.

Training is required for both Eucharistic ministers and Eucharistic visitors under the direction of a deacon or member of the clergy.

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 II.4.1(a) and may be renewed. The license may be revoked by the ecclesiastical authority upon request of or upon notice to the member of the clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

LEM License Request
(Please scan and email the completed for to Elizabeth Dawkins or mail to:
Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
c/o Elizabeth Dawkins
200 West Morgan Street, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601)

Share this page: Licensed Lay Ministry
The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson
Assistant Bishop
Jenny Beaumont
Missioner for Adult and Life-long Formation
919-600-5299 
Lisa Aycock
Lead Youth Missioner
919-600-5308 
Leah Dail
Assistant Youth Missioner
919-600-5309 

The Rt. Rev. Jennifer Brooke-Davidson

Assistant Bishop

Jenny Beaumont

Missioner for Adult and Life-long Formation
919-600-5299 |

Jenny Beaumont is a cradle-born Episcopalian who has lived in the Diocese of North Carolina for most of her adult life.

Jenny is a race and reconciliation leader and a national trainer for Education on Ministry through University of the South. She was the lead author of These Are Our Bodies: Talking Faith at Church and Home and co-author of These Are Our Bodies: Talking Faith at Church and Home: Foundation Book, all while running a learning center created to meet the needs of families and students with specific and expert support in learning.

Reimagining Christian formation for a 21st-century context is a focus and passion for Jenny. She uses both traditional in-person gatherings as well as online models to expand offerings and networks across our diverse diocese. Jenny collaborates in efforts, strategies and approaches in adult learning, emphasizing our mission priorities.

Jenny works closely with the diocesan youth missioners and other diocesan staff, the Chartered Commission for Lifelong Christian Formation, the Racial Justice and Reconciliation Committee, the Commission for the Diaconate and the Diocesan Council department for Christian formation, all of whom work together to continue to build relationships and cooperative efforts with formation leaders across the diocese and the wider Church.

Jenny is a Deep Living Spiritual Life Coach, certified in the Enneagram and is currently working towards her a Masters in Religious Studies from UNC-Charlotte. She lives in Charlotte with her spouse, Michael, and her three grown children. Jenny loves to read just about anything and to have her hands in the dirt—weeding, planting and sowing seeds.

Lisa Aycock

Lead Youth Missioner
919-600-5308 |

As of January 1, 2019, Lisa Aycock is the lead youth missioner in the Diocese of North Carolina.

She and her husbad, Ricky, have four kids, three granddaughters, two dogs and a flock of chickens. In her free time, Lisa enjoys gardening, photography, and spending time outdoors and at the beach.

Leah Dail

Assistant Youth Missioner
919-600-5309 |

Leah Dail is a native North Carolinian, born and raised in Raleigh. She majored in English and American Studies at UNC-Chapel Hill and stayed there to work at the NC Jaycee Burn Center. She is married to Rick Schertz and they have four children and two dogs. After a 15-year career at home with her kids, she was the youth minister at St. Paul’s, Cary, for the past six years. She enjoys reading, gardening, and playing games with her family.

Leah is based out of the Raleigh office.

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Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
200 West Morgan St, Suite 300
Raleigh, NC 27601

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(919) 834-7474

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