There is no laity!

At the planning meeting of our congregation it was decided to develop our Sunday Worship services in order to more often include the participation of members, other than the minister or duty elder of the month.

The elements that the preaching minister of the day will sometimes ask members to do, will include:
o Call to worship
o Various prayers
o Receiving and blessing the offerings
o Readings

This decision was not taken lightly, but biblical principles were considered.
The purpose of this process is to ensure that Sunday Worship is not seen as “the minister’s territory only” but to adapt to the approach widely practiced, where both elders and other members lead some of the elements of the Order for Sunday Worship. It enforces the principle that in Sunday worship members are not mere bystanders and that not only the minister, but the congregation is filled with the Holy Spirit and may therefore lead the congregation in worship.

It reiterates the emancipation of members within the Reformed tradition as all belonging to the priesthood of the believers, instead of being spectators only. This is an age old principle within Protestant worship, that we lost when a popular view developed in the mid 20th century that Sunday Worship is the territory of the “professional prayers” and the members are “only laity” and therefore not worthy to take a leading role. This is not the view of most Protestants and it is particularly not a Reformed / Presbyterian view and we wish to correct it.

The resistance we see to implementing this principle, is the result of a misunderstanding that differentiates strictly between “ordained ministers” and “”laity”, a view which we do not find in the New Testament. In the Church in the New Testament believers are not only called priests, but even “royal priests” and “prophets”.

The Minister of Word and Sacrament is usually responsible for preaching and always for dispensing the sacraments, as this is what he has been set apart / ordained for.
But any other element could frequently be led by other members too.
Asking members to participate / lead liturgical elements is at the discretion of the preaching minister on the day, who probably will invite members on a week to week basis to do this most Sundays.