Guidelines and Requirements to be Licensed as a Worship Leader

Title III, Canon 4, Section 6

A Worship Leader is a lay person who regularly leads public worship under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith. A Worship Leader may publicly and regularly lead the Daily Offices of Morning Prayer, Order of Service for Noonday, Evening Prayer, and Compline.

A Worship Leader may also lead other occasional services provided in The Book of Common Prayer.

Discernment

Candidates considering the ministry of Worship Leader should confer with sponsoring clergy, spiritual directors, their Congregational Commission on Ministry, and other vocational guides to discuss honestly how to test a call.

Discernment Questions for those discerning a call to this ministry:

• What is ministry and what are things that I do that are ministry?
• What does the Baptismal Covenant mean to me?
• Have I asked God whether God might be calling me to this ministry?
• Can I tell the story of why I feel called to this ministry?
• Am I comfortable speaking in front of a group?
• Am I willing to work as a member of a team and learn how to use appropriate resources to plan worship services?
• Am I interested in the general content of the Book of Common Prayer, the Bible, the Hymnal, and Church history?
• Do I have an interest and on-going curiosity about liturgical traditions of the Church, including styles and seasonal variations of worship?
• What gifts do I have that would that be an asset for this ministry?
• What particular gifts do I bring now, and what gifts do I hope to develop/grow?

Qualities of Call

• A personal sense of ministry. A person of prayer who seeks to develop their own spirituality.
• One who can reverently lead the community in worship.
• A strong, clear, and articulate voice.
• The ability to share responsibility for worship with other ministers of the congregation.

Background Knowledge:

• A basic understanding of Holy Scripture (Old and New Testaments), Church History, Ethics and Theology (at the level of catechism and creeds).
• A detailed knowledge of the Book of Common Prayer, especially rubrics.
• The Book of Occasional Services, Lesser Feasts and Fasts, A Great Cloud of Witnesses.
• Pronunciation of names and other difficult words in Scripture.
• The Calendar of the Church Year, and a basic understanding of the seasons.
• The BCP Lectionaries and the Revised Common Lectionary.
• Knowledge of the Hymnal 1982 and other music resources.
• Canons of the Episcopal Church, Title II: Worship.

Skills

• The ability to plan and lead the following liturgies:
  • The Daily Offices
  • Ante-Communion
  • The Burial of the Dead
• The ability to plan and assist at the following liturgies:
  • The Holy Eucharist
  • Holy Baptism
  • The Proper Liturgies for Special Days
  • The Pastoral Offices
• A prayerful person who reads well and/or can pray spontaneously putting into words what is on the heart of those present.
• The ability to provide pastoral support to families and congregations at time of need and/or crisis under the direction of clergy.
• The ability to obtain an authorized sermon and to deliver it.

Education and Training Possibilities

• Sacramental Theology coursework at Bishop Kemper School of Ministry.
• Education For Ministry (EfM)
• Liturgy and Worship Series, Center for Anglican Learning and Leadership (CALL)
• Liturgics courses offered by Episcopal Seminaries.

To be Licensed (First Application)

• Completion of application
• Demonstrated knowledge of Morning Prayer, Evening Prayer, Ante-Communion, and Funerals to Rector/Vicar/Priest-in-charge and Vestry/Bishop’s Committee.
• Completion of Diocesan Diversity Workshop – watch the website for information and registration (classes are usually held in the spring and fall)
• Criminal background check and Safe Church, Safe Community training modules are required – contact the Human Resource Administrator and Finance Assistant for information (hr-finasst@diowestmo.org).
• Endorsements by Rector/Vicar/Priest/Warden-in-charge and Vestry/Bishop’s Committee.

To Renew Your License (Subsequent Applications)

• Completion of application
• Completion of Diocesan Diversity Workshop if not completed during first license period – watch the website for information and registration (classes are usually held in the spring and fall)
• Endorsements by Rector/Vicar/Priest/Warden-in-charge and Vestry/Bishop’s Committee.

At the time of licensure, the lay licensing committee will work with the licensee to find a mentor that can provide them with support and guidance as they begin this ministry. Licenses are renewed in a set rotation every three years not based on date it was issued.

Resources:

• The Book of Common Prayer. Church Hymnal Corporation, 1979
• The Hymnal, 1982. Church Hymnal Corporation, 1985
• The Book of Occasional Services (most recent edition)
• Holy Women, Holy Men: Celebrating the Saints (most recent edition)
• Canons of the Episcopal Church, Title II (Worship)
• A Commentary on the American Prayer Book. Marion J. Hatchett, Seabury Press, 1981, 1995
• A Guide to the Practice of Church Music. Marion J. Hatchett, New York: Church Publishing, 1989
• Opening the Prayer Book (The New Church’s Teaching Series, Volume 7). Jeffrey Lee. Cambridge: Cowley Publications, 1999
• Praying Shapes Believing. Leonel L. Mitchell, Minneapolis: Winston Press, 1985
• Sermons That Work. Sermons for each Sunday prepared by the Episcopal Church USA
• Enriching Our Worship
• Pastoral and Occasional Liturgy: A Ceremonial Guide. Leonel L. Mitchell. Boston: Cowley Publications, 1998
• The Book of Common Prayer, a Biography. Alan Jacobs. Princeton University Press, Reprint Edition, 2019
• The Oxford Guide to the Book of Common Prayer. Charles Hefling and Cynthia, Editors. Oxford University Press, 2008
• Back Story Preaching: Integrating Life, Spirituality, and Craft. Lisa Cressman. Liturgical Press, 2018
• The Sacraments in Protestant Practice and Faith. James White. Abingdon Press, 1999
• Any Body There – Worship and Being Human in the Digital Age. Craig Mueller. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2017