The Ministry of the Laity: Sharing the Leadership, Sharing the Task

A.J. Pell is rector of Holy Trinity Cathedral in the Diocese of New
Westminster, British Columbia.

Peel is well known to many Anglicans for The Ministry of Listening, a
practical guide, designed for the laity, to pastoral visiting in
hospitals and homes. This new book is equally practical: a two-part look
at the nature of, and training for, lay ministry in local parishes. This
book is designed to be used, not just read and shelved. Built into the
structure of the book is an eight-session study program for groups, with
suggestions for operating such a group preceding Chapter 1, and study
questions and ideas following each chapter.

Part 1 consists of five chapters that explore the nature of lay
ministry. “You and Your Partner, the Pastor” is a particularly
important chapter, for it provides an insightful and sensitive
examination of the problems and prospects for co-operation between
clergy and laity. In Part 2, the three chapters and five appendices
provide a detailed blue-print for a program of basic training for lay
ministry. The proposed program concentrates on teamwork and planning as
the key skills required for almost any form of lay ministry. Teamwork is
learned by working at planning, carrying out, and evaluating small-group
discussions. Planning skills are acquired by planning a training or
educational program for the congregation and evaluating the planning
process used. The appendices provide useful tools for the lay training
program Peel has designed.

This book is an excellent resource/tool for small to medium-sized
parishes, both to promote lay ministry by congregation members and to
enable lay groups within congregations to work more effectively. The
program outlined in Part 2 could also be used in voluntary organizations
in the wider community. All in all, this is a book worth having, and
worth using repeatedly.