The Lay Pastor Ministry at Regester Chapel provides an intentional and consistent caring outreach to congregational members on an individual basis through prayer, availability, contact, and example (PACE).

P – PRAY for each one regularly
A – Be AVAILABLE
C – CONTACT on a regular basis
E – Provide a Christian EXAMPLE

What exactly does the Lay Pastor Ministry do? They provide a “love with skin on it” relationship to our members. The Lay Pastor Ministry is simply basic, intentional caring for one another in love and faithfulness.

LAY MINISTRY HISTORY

The senior pastor of College Hill Presbyterian Church in Cincinnati, Ohio became increasingly burdened by the unmet pastoral needs of his people. A Lay Pastors Ministry Group was formed in 1977 for the purpose of providing pastoral care to every member of the church by calling forth and equipping lay people who had pastoral gifts. Five members of this Ministry Group began pastoring other lay people and they soon discovered that lay people could authentically pastor, and that other lay people would accept their pastoring.

Dr. Melvin J. Steinbron, author of the book, developed this model of Lay Ministry, Can The Pastor Do It Alone? It is used in churches of all denominations throughout the United Sates, Canada, Australia, the Bahamas, and in some European countries. Mel Steinbron addressed a conference of United Methodists laity at Lake Junaluska April 1-2, 2000.

Since 2002, Regester Chapel has had this Lay Pastors ministry providing Christian caring for members of our congregation. It has also provided those lay persons with pastoral gifts the opportunity to develop and exercise those gifts in caring for others. Our goal is to provide caring for every member of our congregation through either small group network or the Lay Pastor ministry so that all experience the blessing of being cared for!

Those interested in learning more about serving in this vital ministry are encouraged to contact the church office at (540) 659-2642.