Lay-led Services Require Inspiration, Structure

When the minister of the UU Church, Kent, OH (144 members), went on sabbatical early this year, members learned a thing or two about lay-led services.

"We learned that a good lecture does not necessarily make a good sermon and that we had to tie the sermon to something in peoples' lives," recalled Renee Larwin, financial secretary, "and that the readings and the music should be tied in some way to the sermon."

The congregation was fortunate to have a lay leader trained by the Ohio-Meadville UUA district to lead services. In addition, the church sponsored a worship service workshop.

Larwin said members were motivated by the memory of a couple of services a few years back that had good content but suffered from poor delivery and caused a dramatic drop in attendance. "Those of us who wanted to keep the worship quality up during the sabbatical made a point to not have those kinds of services."

At the lay-led Keweenaw UU Fellowship, Houghton, MI (49), treasurer Alice Boyce notes, "We've found we have to have a certain structure to our services so things don't fall apart. People tend to vote with their feet if you don't keep the quality up."

Most UU congregations find themselves lay-led at some point. Many are too small to afford a minister or they prefer to rely on their own talents. Others have to cover when a minister leaves or goes on sabbatical.

Maintaining a religious focus without a minister requires lay leaders to pay attention to things they may have taken for granted. To uphold the quality of lay-led services, consider the following:

• Maintain a regular order of service, with chalice lighting, joys and concerns, and other features the congregation is accustomed to.

• Use the same moderator each week, so visitors see a familiar face.

• Don't put all your thoughts into one sermon. Save some ideas for next time. A sermon should entertain, inform and inspire.

• Hold a workshop on leading services.

Most lay-led congregations have occasional services by ministers. At the Keweenaw fellowship and the Michael Servetus Unitarian Society, Fridley, MN (104), a ministerial intern comes once a month. In Ohio, the UU Fellowship of Yellow Springs (77) ordained one of its own to be minister of music and celebration and to organize worship services.

The UU Fellowship of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, (50), has two retired ministers in its ranks, but most services are lay-led. Member Gordon Jett noted that recently, the group ordered two books of UU sermons that members will deliver from time to time. It's especially important for a lay-led congregation to have a group of willing, involved members, he notes. "We have the right people, the right place and the right purpose, an individual search for meaning, that clicks in an especially wonderful way."

If your congregation has a regular minister, but he or she is out of the pulpit, consider an announcement on Sunday morning: "While we respect our professional ministry, we also believe that all members of our community should have the opportunity to share their journey with the rest of the community . . ."

Resources

How to Preach a Sermon, A Guide for the Amateur, Robert Slaughter. A UU layman's humorous and effective guide to preparing and delivering sermons, 1997. UUA Bookstore, $12 #7302 800-215-9076

WORSHIP-L, a new UUA-sponsored electronic discussion group, for conversations about religious services and materials.