Marlene McNeice, member of the UMC of Green Valley, is the first lay person in the South District to achieve the position of Certified Lay Minister. Having achieved Certified Lay Speaker a few years ago, Marlene decided to pursue Certified Lay Minister when she heard our Missional Strategist/District Superintendent, Mark Conrad, talk about the importance of Lay Servant Ministries and the new position of CLM during the Lay Servant Annual Celebration last Fall and by learning that there is no upper age limit for a CLM.
By becoming a Certified Lay Ministrer, Marlene has greatly expanded her potential roles in the UMC. As a CLM she is assigned by the district superintendent where her gifts can be utilized in conducting public worship, congregational care, program leadership, preaching the Word, establishing community outreach ministries, and/or developing new and existing faith communities. Marlene started the online studies for CLM in October of 2017 and successfully completed them in February of this year. Having recently been approved by the South District DCOM and then the Conference committee of Lay Servant Ministries, Marlene will be officially recognized during a regular church service on June 24, 2018 at her church in Green Valley – UMC of Green Valley.
Kelly Deyoe & Gretchen Lofgren, Co-Directors South District Lay Servant Ministries