The Presbytery of
Northern Waters spans the northern parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This is an area of great
natural beauty with an abundance of wildlife and recreational
opportunities.
Declining employment in mining, forest products, shipping,
and small manufacturing over the past twenty years has reduced
the ability of rural churches in some smaller communities to
support a full-time pastor. Many churches were founded and staffed
by the Home Missions Unit of the Presbyterian Church. Sixteen
years ago the Commissioned Lay Pastor Training Program was started
in Northern Waters to help minister to the “churches at
the end of the road,” and the commissioned lay pastors
(CLP) have stepped up to serve these smaller congregations.
Commissioned lay pastors are providing pastoral leadership
in nine of the presbytery’s sixty-one churches, and thirteen
individuals are currently enrolled in CLP training. One of the
CLPs has been serving a small church for fourteen years. These
wonderful leaders come from such varied backgrounds as the military,
education, business management, agriculture, and trucking.
Upon recommendation from the home church, each CLP completes
three years of coursework in eight required subjects, shows
an ability to connect with people, and demonstrates a working
understanding of Presbyterian polity. Over that time, the candidate
grows in leadership skills, communication abilities, churchmanship,
and faith. Commissioned lay pastors are a godsend in the Presbytery
of Northern Waters, home of 7,564 members. |
