Board of Laity

As Conference Lay Leader, I greet you on behalf of the Board of Laity and welcome you to the “Ministry of the Laity” web pages.  It is hoped that you will find the contact information, resources and programs sponsored by the Board to be of assistance and encouragement, as well as a useful tool for enhancing your personal and local church mission/ministry.  It is our sincere desire to meet your needs, and we invite you to join us as we fine-tune our present endeavors and seek new projects and programs to better serve you.

During this quadrennium, the Conference Board of Laity will partner with clergy to identify and equip servant leaders as a diverse cadre of outstanding disciples to bring Jesus Christ to the world.  We realize that the local church congregation is the important link to evangelism and witness; therefore, we will strive to provide the support you need to move from the walls of the church building into the community where opportunities are encountered for ministry with the least, last, lost and lonely.  Through individual church projects and personal commitment to service, we will emerge as visible symbols of the “body of Christ” at work. 

Visit our section on “Gift of Prayer” which has the laity in each church praying for their pastor(s), the pastor’s family and the mission/ministry of the church.  The result of faithful prayer brings awesome results.  

The Lay Leadership Resource Handbook along with the Standards of Leadership provides the foundation for growth of leaders and models servant leadership.  The four programs sponsored by the Board provide something for everyone:  Lay Speaking Ministries, Leadership UMC, Lay Ministry Training and Lay Revitalization Ministries.  Each program is intentional for development of individuals and churches.  Research these resources on the following laity pages and find the one that fits your particular need.

I invite you and your church to encounter God in a new and enthusiastic ministry this year. Please communicate to me your ideas and needs for reaching out of others as we formulate new programs and enrich our ministry during the quadrennium.  You will find the contact information for the Conference Board of Laity and Executive Committee on the pages that follow.  I look forward to serving in mission and ministry with you.

Jane Finley, Conference Lay Leader
North Georgia Conference