Commissioned Lay Leaders Committee
Read the OMD Up-Close article from August 2009 about the CLL program in the OMD and stories of it's participants.
The purpose of the Commissioned Lay Leadership Program is to strengthen local congregations in the Ohio Meadville District by strengthening their lay leadership. To this end, selected and qualified lay individuals are given special training and mentored experiences so that they may learn to serve their own societies more effectively. Individuals who satisfactorily complete the study requirements and are approved by the Ohio Meadville District Board of Trustees upon the recommendation of the Commissioned Lay Leader Committee are entitled "Commissioned Lay Leader" (CLL).
History of the Program: For many years, persons from a variety of backgrounds had assumed the mantle of leadership in our congregations. What was missing was a vehicle to support these leaders in their efforts to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to their tasks as well as a means of giving such leaders official acknowledgement of their accomplishments. Therefore, the Ohio Meadville District Board of Trustees adopted a plan for the commissioning of lay leaders in December of 1976. Since then, several dozens of Commissioned Lay Leaders have been sponsored by their congregations so that they could enter the program as candidates with the goal of being commissioned by the Commissioned Lay Leader Committee and the Ohio Meadville District Board of Trustees. Congregations throughout our district - both with full-time religious professionals and without - have benefited from this program.
The process of becoming a Commissioned Lay Leader is fully outlined in the CLL Manual and Application Packet. You can download a copy of the packet here.
This packet was updated November 17, 2006
Commissioned Lay Leader Manual & Application Packet ~ pdf format
Commissioned Lay Leader Manual & Application Packet ~ word format
For more information about the program, please contact the Commissioned Lay Leader Committee Chair Rev. Chris Neilson at cll at ohiomeadville.org.
Read the article about this program from the December Issue of District Doings:
Take it to the Next Level: Become a Commissioned Lay Leader
Strong lay leadership is a hallmark of our faith tradition. The priesthood and prophethood of all believers has been a theological stance since our movement began. While many ministers have advanced our faith tradition, we are equally supported by many talented and committed lay members. Not everyone hears a call to the ordained ministry, but the Ohio-Meadville District offers an alternative to becoming a professional minister. To those who want to take their skills and involvement to the next level, becoming a commissioned lay leader (CLL) may be for you.
A CLL is a lay member of a Unitarian Universalist congregation who is seen as a leader in their church, and wants to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, world religions, generalized knowledge about the inner workings of the church, and feels drawn to a particular area of ministry where they would like to advance their skills. While originally conceived as a strong leader for a congregation without a minister, the CLL now is a person with particular gifts to offer, in churches of all sizes, and is willing to commit their time and energy to particular church projects and a period of study and mentoring. Some lay leaders focus on worship, others on pastoral care, adult education, volunteer coordination, and leading weddings and memorials. The area of focus is determined by the candidate and the congregational board through a covenanted agreement.
People who are interested in our program can download our manual from the District website. It includes an application for candidacy, and a form for letters of reference. The candidate schedules a meeting with the committee by contacting me, (Rev. Chris Neilson), and they are invited to come to a meeting for a conversation. After the interview, we determine their readiness for candidacy. It is important that the CLL is seen as a leader in their congregation, that they are ready to advance their skills, and that the congregation is ready to support them. It is a two-way commitment. The congregation may send them to leadership school, District events or Summer Institute. If they are accepted as candidates, they are assigned a mentor, a local minister who is an expert in their area of interest. They are also assigned a liaison to the committee to trouble-shoot any issues and to check in. They are given a reading list to study with their mentor, along with projects to be completed in their congregations. Typically a year or so after the initial interview, they are encouraged to return to the committee with more references, including one from their mentor. They also need to have a signed board covenant. They are invited to begin the interview with a short worship service (which may be waived if worship is not their focus), followed by another interview by the committee. The CLL is asked questions about their studies, their projects, their evaluations, and any challenges they faced.
The committee then discusses the interview, and shares any area of concerns with the candidate. If accepted as a commissioned lay leader, they are asked to sign a code of ethics, and a commissioning ceremony is held at their church, usually during a Sunday service, where they are installed formally as a commissioned lay leader, and are presented with a certificate.
I’ve seen some very valuable lay leaders emerge and thrive from this process. It affirms your commitment to our faith, to your church and to your own spiritual development. We are a searching faith, and the CLL program is an ultimate expression of this important religious principle. Please feel free to contact me with comments or questions.
Rev. Chris Neilson, Chair of CLL Committee
