A Brief History
In the 1980s, the Central Pennsylvania Synod (Lutheran Church in America) developed a training program-the “Lay Assistant Program”-to teach lay persons to preach and lead worship to assist their own congregations. The congregations and territory of the Central Penn Synod were divided into three different synods-one being the Upper Susquehanna Synod-with the birth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in 1988.
In 1995, the ELCA Church Council produced a document that allowed for the development of Synodically Authorized or Licensed Ministries (CC95.04.47t). This new document renewed conversations within the Upper Susquehanna Synod about the growing need to train more lay persons in leading congregational worship. U.S.S. Bishop A. Donald Main asked Pastor Glenn Heasley, assistant to the bishop, to form a committee to explore what this could look like on the territory of the synod.
Around this same time, the Upper Susquehanna Synod was encouraging all congregations to move toward weekly communion. This effort influenced the training program’s focus to include both preaching and presiding at the sacrament when authorized by the bishop. The Authorized Lay Worship Leader training program was created to cover the appropriate issues of homiletics, worship, theology, Church history, and some practical hands-on experiences. The training was extensive and addressed some people’s concerns about lay persons being adequately prepared for this service. While many lay persons had been trained by their pastors over the years to lead worship during the pastor’s vacations, the Lay Worship Leader training program was an effort to standardize the training and bring the use of those so trained under the office of the bishop. In 1999, six U.S.S. members who were trained in the former Central Pennsylvania Synod’s “Lay Assistant Program” were inducted as the Upper Susquehanna Synod’s first Authorized Lay Worship Leaders.
The initial U.S.S. worship leader’s training program consisted of two years of sessions. The Authorized Lay Worship Committee then evaluated and revised the program and process based on comments from seminary professors, mentor pastors, and the students themselves. In 2000, having completed the first training program, twenty-three more U.S.S. members were inducted as Authorized Lay Worship Leaders. Concerns were addressed, admission and continuance standards described and applied, and the joys of persons serving in this role were celebrated!
In 2004, the Authorized Lay Worship Committee expanded into areas of ministry other than worship. The Lay Ministry Institute was formed, allowing for the future development of lay catechists, evangelists, steward leaders, youth workers, and others. The initial programs of the Lay Ministry Institute in 2007-2009 featured training for Lay Catechists, Lay Evangelists, and Lay Worship Leaders.
In March 2005, the ELCA Conference of Bishops adopted “A Statement of Understanding Concerning Synodically Authorized Ministry of Word and Sacrament” [CB05.03.01]. In April of both 2005 and 2006 the ELCA Church Council adopted amendments to the 1995 “Guidelines Related to Synodically Authorized or Licensed Ministries” (CC95.04.47t). In 2007, the Board of the Lay Ministry Institute discerned the need to create a handbook to better interpret their program for the synod, to provide guidance for participants in the program, to revise and update the program for current synodical needs, and to bring it into compliance with the revised standards of the ELCA.
In 2008, U.S.S. Bishop Robert L. Driesen developed a theological foundation regarding the church’s use of authorized lay persons to preside at the Eucharist. This foundation was used by the Board to further refine the synod’s protocol for using authorized lay worship leaders. The new protocols will take effect in 2009. Having been approved by the LMI Board and the Synod Council, this newly developed Handbook is being shared across the Upper Susquehanna Synod in late 2008.
