Commissioned Lay Leaders: Enriching our Congregations and the World
“You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” (Woodrow Wilson)
Throughout the nineteen Districts of the UUA, there are not many truly “unique” programs. But in the Ohio-Meadville District (OMD), there is one very successful and historically unique form of lay ministry developed and nurtured nowhere else: the Commissioned Lay Leader Program (CLL).
Created by Gordon McKeeman
Throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s, district officials witnessed that many people willing to step up and take on long-term, vital roles of leadership in their congregations. But there was no program to support these leaders in their efforts to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in their work. And there was no formal means of offering such leaders public recognition of their service and acknowledgement of their many accomplishments. To address this need, the Ohio-Meadville District Board of Trustees adopted a plan for the commissioning of lay leaders in December of 1976.
The program was originally the brainchild of the Rev. Gordon B. McKeeman, minister of the Akron UU Church, 1961-1983. Its focus and structure represented his own creative interpretation of our Universalist legacies regarding the importance of strong lay leadership and the need for leadership that emerges from within congregations.
The goal of the OMD’s Commissioned Lay Leadership Program is to strengthen local congregations by strengthening lay leadership. To this end, qualified individuals, supported and selected by their congregations, are given special training and mentored experiences so they can learn to serve their own congregations more effectively. Individuals who satisfactorily complete the study and mentoring requirements, are recommended by the Commissioned Lay Leader Committee and approved by the Ohio Meadville District Board of Trustees then formally receive the title of "Commissioned Lay Leader" (CLL).
An Alternative Path to Service
The CLL Program recognizes that while many ministers have advanced our faith, we are equally supported by many talented lay leaders. Many hear a call to serve but are not necessarily called to the ordained ministry. For these lay leaders who desire to take their commitment and service to the next level, the OMD’s Commissioned Lay Leader Program can offer a satisfying alternative to becoming a professional minister.
The CLL Program “gives recognition and an official role to persons with great gifts who might not find the formal preparation for ministry possible or desirable,” according to former CLL Committee chair, The Rev. Susan Ritchie. “Over the years I have been completely blown away by the quantity of time and the quality of service that our CLLS offer their congregations. “
CLLs Vary in Focus
All CLL candidates are required to learn more about Unitarian Universalism, world religions and congregational dynamics. They focus, however, on a particular area of ministry where they want to explore and increase their skills. 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 congregation’s board through a covenanted agreement. The Rev. Chris Neilson, current CLL Committee chair, observes: “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.”
Not Only for Lay Led Congregations
Since 1976, dozens of Commissioned Lay Leaders have been sponsored by their congregations to enter the Program with the goal of being commissioned. Congregations throughout the district - both those with full-time religious professionals and without - have been involved in the Program.
In keeping with her strong belief in the training and support of lay leaders, The Rev. Peggy Clason, Minister Emerita of the UU Society of Cleveland, has been involved with the CLL Program at various times since its beginning. She notes that the CLLs serve congregations both with and without settled ministers: “The Program started as an arena for training leaders in congregations without ministers. It then grew to also become a training ground for lay leaders in congregations with ministers. Having worked with a number of different CLL's, I personally know how a skilled and well-functioning CLL contributes to the well-being of the institution and the minister.”
“I have greatly enjoyed mentoring (CLLs) and learned and developed myself while so doing. Lasting relationships have been formed.” says Rev. Clason.
Challenges Faced by the Program
“Much of the success of the program depends on ministers and other leaders indentifying appropriate candidates, nurturing their call to enhanced leadership, and referring them to the program,” says Rev. Ritchie. “It has been challenging to know how to best educate these leaders about the program, and over the years we have experienced some resistance from people who have been concerned that a lay ministry program encroaches on boundaries with professional leadership. I can absolutely say for myself that my work as a professional minister has been deeply enriched and extended by my work with the CLLs within and outside of my congregation.”
Rev. Clason notes that not all candidates turn out to be a good match for CLL training and the CLL Committee has felt it necessary to ask several people to leave the Program over the years.
When she was CLL Committee chair, the question that Rev. Ritchie most enjoyed hearing was: “How many CLLs is too many for a congregation to have? My answer was,” says Rev. Ritchie, “only worry about that if the number of CLLs exceeds the actual membership.”
The CLL Process
People interested in the Program download the manual from the OMD website, www.ohiomeadville.org. It includes an application for candidacy, and a form for letters of reference.
After downloading the manual, the person contacts the chair, the Rev. Chris Neilson, to schedule a meeting and interview with the CLL Committee.
After the interview, the CLL Committee determines the individual’s readiness for candidacy. It is important that the person 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.
If the person is accepted as a candidate, she/he is assigned a mentor - a local minister who is an expert in the candidate’s area of interest. The candidate is also assigned a liaison to the committee for regular check-ins. And the candidate is assigned a reading list to work through with their mentor, along with projects to be completed in their congregations.
Typically a year after the initial interview, the candidate returns to the CLL Committee with more references, including one from their mentor. The candidate also needs to present a signed board covenant. The Committee interviews the candidate, asking questions about their studies, their projects, their evaluations, and any challenges they faced. The Committee reviews the interview and shares any area of concern with the candidate. Sometimes, further study or another project may be requested and/or another interview may be scheduled.
When the candidate meets all Committee requirements, their names are recommended to the OMD Board of Trustees to be accepted as a Commissioned Lay Leader. They are also asked to sign the CLL Code of Ethics. A Commissioning Ceremony is then held at their home congregation, usually during a Sunday service, where they are formally installed and recognized as a Commissioned Lay Leader.
Stories from CLLs and Clergy
The following brief statements from active CLLS and some of the clergy they work with, give some idea of the breadth and depth of their service to their congregations.
Christie Anderson, CLL, Kent Unitarian Universalist Church, Kent, OH
“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.” This quote by Woodrow Wilson summarizes my personal philosophy, which has been realized in part through my opportunity to be a Commissioned Lay Leader. My CLL work has enabled me to contribute to the church and faith that I love, and has greatly enriched my life.
After several years of serving in various capacities in the UU Church of Kent, I found that I was drawn more to participating in the worship life of the church than to the organizational side. Knowing that my role as a Worship Associate was time limited, I yearned for opportunities which enabled me to contribute to the spiritual aspects of church life.
Reverend Melissa Carvill-Zeimer directed me to the CLL program, which was the beginning of a journey that has been one of the most meaningful undertakings of my life. I had a vision of the area of study that I wanted to pursue, and frankly, was initially frustrated by the broad range of book topics required during my CLL education. However, I quickly delighted in my immersion into UU heritage and theology and discovered I had a growing interest in areas of religious involvement that I had not anticipated. In particular, I was surprised to find that the readings on pastoral care resonated with me and gave me confidence in my ability to engage in this work. The highlight of my training experience was the valuable time spent with my mentor, Reverend Wayne Arnason.
I was commissioned in October 2008 and am still working on solidifying my role within our congregation. I believe that this will continue to be an evolving process as the minister, church leaders and I work to match my strengths with the needs of the church. Presently, I chair the committee that plans lay led worship services, am actively involved with the Small Group Ministry program and with the Loving Hearts Team, serve as back-up to Reverend Carvill-Zeimer for pastoral care, and perform wedding ceremonies. In particular, the opportunity to officiate at wedding ceremonies has been a great joy for me. Working with couples who are seeking words and rituals that express their heartfelt feelings is truly an honor. It is also providing me with an opportunity for outreach to the community, enabling me to spread the word about Unitarian Universalism. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to become a CLL.
Amy Collins, CLL, Unitarian Universalist Society of Cleveland, OH
I was called to participate in the CLL program as a way to deepen my Unitarian Universalist faith, and to participate in the creation of worship and ritual in a meaningful way. Though I am a lifelong UU, it was an opportunity to study the history of our denomination as well as other world religions, rites of passage and much more. I had the opportunity to work with a mentor, Rev. Christine Neilsen, which was an invaluable opportunity to explore and exchange ideas, receive guidance and support, and develop an on-going friendship.
At my congregation, my focus is on worship. Along with our minister, Rev. Colin Bossen, I work with a team of worship associates who each make a 2 year commitment to serve sharing weekly Sunday morning responsibilities, as well as creating 4 completely lay-led worship services each year. I also help provide pastoral care when our minister is on vacation or study leave, along with a competent team of pastoral care associates. I consider my work in worship and in pastoral care to be a spiritual practice and as such find it very rewarding and gratifying.
Over the course of my candidacy and in being recognized by the CLL committee as a CLL, I have had the wonderful experience of working with four different professional ministers, each of them fantastic and unique in their gifts. I feel that part of my role is to support the success of their ministry, providing transitional support to the congregation through the healthy and dynamic changes that we have experienced. I have learned a great deal from all four ministers and value being considered as a colleague and partner in support of the congregation’s spiritual life.
Richard E. Dawson, CLL/Chaplain, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus, OH
I was certified by the OMD CLL Committee April 19, 2008 and installed as a “chaplain” by the congregation of First UU Columbus. Pastoral care was the focus of my candidacy work and my ministry, with an emphasis on being present with older seniors. I work closely with our two ministers in meeting pastoral care needs. I manage and support a Pastoral Team of 32 trained lay members and work with that Team and the ministers in maintaining an on-going church presence for approximating 65 older seniors in our congregation.
As part of that ministry I initiated quarterly “Senior Gatherings.” We bring older seniors to the church, for fellowship, a short worship service and a lunch served by the members of the Pastoral Team. In working with older seniors I have been present with a number of dying members and their families. To enhance this piece of my ministry I attended an 8 day training for professionals on “Being With Dying” in April 2009. This training, led by Joan Halifax, was held at a Buddhist monastery in Santa Fe.
My move into the CLL program and this work was a mindful journey which began 8 years ago when I became a member of our newly formed Pastoral Team. At that point I realized a calling to redirect my church involvement toward pastoral care. In 2006 I entered the CLL program to prepare me for this work. This decision has proven to be the right move, at the right time, at the right place. I know I am doing work that is both important and fulfilling.
My efforts have expanded the pastoral care and support we provide our congregation. It has expanded and enhanced the work of our Pastoral Team and allowed us to provide better presence for older seniors. In several instances I have been available to offer more extensive, longer term presence for members in need of such support.
I feel affirmed in this work -- by my ministers, my congregation, and those I serve.
Allison Fagan, CLL: North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Lewis Center, OH
My decision to embark on the journey to become a Commissioned Lay Leader of the North Unitarian Universalist Congregation was really quite self-serving on two accounts. First, I wanted to know who I am, and for me, my choice to be a Unitarian Universalist places me in a “we” that is our faith. I grew up Jewish, so I clearly knew who I was in the world, both in place and time. I knew that part of my responsibility as I became an adult would be to teach our story to my children and my children’s children, so that they too would know who they are.
So, as a Unitarian Universalist, when I ask, “Where did I come from? What is my history? My theology?” I am also asking “Where did we come from? What is our collective history? What is our theology?” For when I say I am a Unitarian Universalist, I am saying that I belong to it, and it to me. The process of becoming a Commissioned Lay Leader required me to learn about our theology and history, and so grounded me in our “we”.
Second, I choose to honor my feeling of commitment to our congregation and our larger faith by seeking out leadership opportunities. I first thought of becoming a CLL when my term as president of our board of trustees was coming to an end. I enjoyed being intimately involved in our congregation, and I did not want that involvement to come to an end. Being a Commissioned Lay Leader allows me to assume an on-going leadership role that is fluid and depends more on who I am as a person, rather than what position or role I have within our committee structure.
I am committed to our congregation and to the Unitarian Universalist community. I can not imagine my life without our faith. The more I learn about myself and others in this world, the more I see that we don’t live in a place of either/or. I’m not either a Jew or a Christian. I am both/and. So are my kids. I’ve seen so many places where the dichotomy of either/or just doesn’t make sense. Unitarian Universalism supports this both/and worldview, in a world that often makes me try to choose. So my commitment to commissioned leadership comes from a place of desperately needing our congregation and our faith. Becoming a Commissioned Lay Leader gives me the opportunity to express most fully who I am, and to speak for us, with knowledge, about who we are as a faith and as a group. I can speak proudly, with the confidence that knowledge can bring, asserting our liberal faith as one with roots in the Protestant reformation, but branches reaching far and wide across time, across prophets, across theologies. For ours is a faith based on covenant, not creed, perpetuating growth and revelation accessible to all.
Being a Commissioned Lay Leaders has brought me tremendous personal joy. I have been privileged to bear witness to incredible acts of courage that remind me of the sanctity of our soul. I have been working on a volunteer ministry, designed to help our members find ways to increase their involvement and fellowship within our congregation. I have also been on the pulpit, offering Sunday worship to our congregation. All of these experiences, in their unique ways, have been glorious experiences that make me proud to be a Commissioned Lay Leader.
Barbara Fuchsman, CLL, Oberlin Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Oberlin, OH
During my work at EAGLES (district leadership school), I became impressed with the power of small group ministry to encourage people to communicate, feel, and think deeply together. I also viewed the UUA adult curricula as a great resource. It is difficult for a part-time minister, working alone to make full use of this rich material. With our then-minister Don Rollins’ encouragement, I decided to study to become a Commissioned Lay Leader.
Every CLL develops his or her own project or special emphasis. As a CLL, I am committed to assist, moderate, or lead worship services as needed, to promote other adult programming, including small group ministry, and to work with the Kendal-at-Oberlin discussion group concerning what is needed and wanted for their program. I also assist in community relations, attending monthly meetings of the Oberlin Area Cooperating Ministries, and serving as liaison between OACM and OUUF.
The Oberlin Fellowship is just beginning a new Sunday morning schedule with a new emphasis on Lifespan Faith Development, my latest challenge. This year, I will have less involvement with services, because I will be co-facilitating the Spirit of Life curriculum from the UUA’s new Tapestry of Faith and helping to moderate hot-topic forums within our new Adult Faith Development Program. Planning for the monthly Kendal Gatherings is also heading in an exciting new direction, with guest speakers planned to coordinate with the Sunday morning hot topics.
I love participation in small group ministry, and have been inspired by the literature on circle gatherings to begin an exciting new direction for the Oberlin Fellowship. For the first time, the Fellowship has continued to hold services on Sunday mornings during the summer. So far the weather has cooperated; we have met in a circle outside on the grass under the trees where we rent our office space. The circle format allows for both formality and a lot of spontaneity, with each circle focused on a particular topic such as , gratitude, or food. While I have facilitated a number of the circles, I am encouraging others to do so as well.
The Fellowship’s increased cooperation with the Oberlin Area Cooperating Ministries has been very rewarding, but is also critical to our social justice efforts.
Teri Cornell, CLL, North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Lewis Center, OH
I started my journey to become a CLL about 7 years ago. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed. I started the process the July my youngest daughter was preparing to start her senior year in high school. I had been through a personal crisis that spring and had heard about Commissioned Lay Leaders. I had a meeting with Rev. Susan Ritchie to discuss it and to get more information and just knew in my heart that it was the direction I wanted to go in, although I had no clear path or goal in mind about where that would lead me after the program.
Susan (Ritchie) was very supportive through the whole process. When I received the paperwork to fill out and started on the CLL path it felt to me that I was experiencing what I had heard of growing up catholic as a "calling". So I began, slow but sure, since we also had all the high school senior year things going on then and preparation for my daughter to go to college the next year. I finished the program is a little over 2 years.
I became a CLL because I wanted to be more knowledgeable in my help to our congregation and to Rev. Ritchie. I feel much joy and centered when I am doing church work whether it be committee work or taking a class or teaching a class. This is where I feel my soul purpose being fulfilled, where I feel the most like my true self.
My most memorable experiences so far come from working with a bride and groom and their family during wedding planning and the wedding itself. I love being a part of their special day. If Rev. Dr. Susan Ritchie cannot do a wedding she refers the couples to me and most are not members of our congregation. I love being the face of Unitarian Universalism for the couples as well as their families and friends. A lot of times the wedding attendees have not heard of Unitarian Universalism. Making the wedding special for the bride and groom as well as representing our faith tradition in a positive light gets Unitarian Universalism out there and hopefully will bring new members to our doors.
My biggest challenge in being a CLL is time. I love what I do as a CLL. I want to learn more and do more but my husband travels during the week a lot and our time on weekends is important to us as a couple. Also I work fulltime and that makes evenings challenging. There just aren't enough hours in the day for me to do all that I'd like. And I know I am not alone in my struggle.
Rev. Susan Ritchie, North Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Lewis Center OH:
The congregation and I both have been hugely benefited by our two CLLs.
Teri Cornell has a natural impulse to reach out to folks that has transformed our congregation. A while ago, a nervous first time visitor was thrilled to enter church and meet Teri here--Teri was the neighbor who had brought her a casserole and rendered other valuable assistance when she first moved into the area. Teri is currently bringing her pastoral sensibility to her service as President of North UU. Having someone in leadership who understands the challenges of ministry in a deep way is any minister's dream.
Allison Fagan is newer to her role, and I'm very excited by her plans to work with members who want to become more involved, but need help identifying how their interests, gifts, and personal needs fit within the congregation. She will be leading a retreat on this topic in September.
Rev. Elaine Strawn, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Wayne County, Wooster, OH:
My experience of the CLL program has been as a mentor to several different lay leaders over the years.
One of these, Barbara Fuchsman, has been a key leader in Oberlin's history and in the present. She had pages and pages of work, reading and reflection to share with me each month when we met. She aided the congregation through a particularly difficult time and helped lay the groundwork for the congregation to [enthusiastically] call a new minister.
Finally, our Wooster congregation is home to another candidate who did all the work toward the CLL but then decided to remain "one among equals" instead. The CLL program served, however, to keep this person intrigued and committed to our movement after many years of leadership and involvement.
I believe totally in this vital program.
