August 25, 2020
Dear Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, Certified Lay Ministers, and all who have an interest in Lay Servant Ministry, 
Charge Conference FORMS 16 and 17:
It is that time of year once again. Time to complete and file our Charge Conference Forms 16 and 17. We, your California-Pacific Annual Conference Directors of Lay Servant Ministry, with the indispensable help of our Annual Conference Staff, have attempted to make this process a little easier and clearer for you this year. Attached to this letter, you will find a check list of which form to file and how to complete the signing process for submission to the Annual Conference. We look forward to receiving your reports and the suggestions that you may offer for what we, as your Lay Servant Ministry Directors, can do to better serve you as you follow your faith journey and your call to service to others.
Upcoming Classes:
God always offers us Hope. One of the many areas of hope in these trying times, is the ability to connect through Zoom. Many of us have been able to take classes on Zoom that we would not have been able to take due to travel and time issues. We will continue to offer Zoom classes.
Currently, through the efforts of Mele Faiva Blagojevich we are offering a Tongan language series of classes including the Basic Class, Preaching, Worship, and Prayer. Plans are in place for continuing to offer the required courses for Certified Lay Speaker lead by Pam Churness, the popular Wednesday night study series lead by Rev. Garth Gilliam, as well as Conflict Transformation lead by Winnie Ching, and a class based on the book, White Fragility.
Please check our Lay Ministry pages on the Cal-Pac website for the most current information.
Certified Lay Ministry:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are not able to provide in-person Certified Lay Ministry classes at the present time. Additionally, as of now, online BeADisciple CLM courses are not approved for use in the Cal-Pac Annual Conference. We appreciate how frustrating this may be to those of you seeking to become CLMs. Your California-Pacific Annual Conference LSM committee is working to see what might be done in our current environment and what might be done going forward to address this situation.
BeADisciple:
Notwithstanding the limitations noted above, BeADisciple continues to offer many on line classes which may be used by Certified Lay Servants, Certified Lay Speakers, and Certified Lay Ministers. Even though conducted on line, these classes require a commitment in time and effort to do the “homework” assignments required. Click here for more information.
Even though we have been able to reach many of you through the blessing of new technology, we long for the time when we can hold in person classes once again. In the meantime, we thank God for you, and we pray that we are all filled and energized by the Holy Spirit as we seek to follow the way of Jesus.
Grace and Peace to Each of You,
Howard Fallman
Director, Cal-Pac Lay Servant Ministries
LAY SERVANT MINISTRY ANNUAL REPORTS 2020-2021
TO ALL CERTIFIED LAY SERVANTS, CERTIFIED LAY SPEAKERS, AND CERTIFIED LAY MINISTERS, AS WELL AS THOSE INTERESTED IN THESE “CERTIFIED” STATUSES:
It is time to submit your annual report to your Charge Conference if you are applying to continue your “certified” status or if you are pursuing “certified” status for the first time.
There are two forms for use by those serving in a “certified” status but you will submit only one form (with a very limited exception noted below):
- Form 16 is for use by
- Certified Lay Servants and
- Certified Lay Speakers
- Form 17 is for use by
- Certified Lay Ministers
If you are already a Certified Lay Minister, you will submit Form 17 only. There is no need to also submit Form 16.
If you are applying to be a Certified Lay Minister for the first time this year, then complete Form 16 and the Certified Lay Minister Application available on our website at calpacumc.org/clm.
PLEASE read the forms carefully and follow the detailed instructions. There are links to information about the three different “Certified” statuses, and to the separate application to become a Certified Lay Minister.
Signing Forms 16 and 17: The signing process has been modified slightly to better accommodate the electronic submission process. Once your Charge Conference has approved your status, the forms will be signed by using Annual Conference Form 15 (the signature page).
You must sign your form as well as the Pastor or Presiding Elder at your Charge Conference.
This can be done in one of three ways:
- Sign a paper version of the Signature Page on page 3, along with your pastor-in-charge or presiding elder.
- Prepare and sign Form 15 as a Word document by inserting an image of your signature, and forward to other required signers for their signatures.
- Prepare and digitally sign Form 15 as a fillable PDF, and forward for required signatures to other required signers.
Work with your church office to upload the file (scanned, Word, or fillable PDF) with all needed signatures via Form 15.
