Preaching the transforming power of Jesus is central to how Christians share their faith. This is true in Saskatchewan, whether by clergy or lay people, as it was for Peter and Paul in the Acts of the Apostles.
In our region, one of the first preachers was Henry Budd. Later ordained, Henry Budd was first a lay preacher. In this way, lay preaching is the beginning of Christianity in Saskatchewan.
Lay preaching, indeed, all lay ministry, begins with confirmation, a service during which we pray for the Holy Spirit to come down. The foundation for lay preaching is prayer.
As we think of the future, lay preaching may be a way to recover the mission of the church. One indication of this is the preaching conference held in Saskatoon, hosted by St Chad’s and Emmanuel College, at Christ Church, Saskatoon, on Nov. 2.
There were 14 in-person participants, and 12 online. Participants heard five talks on preaching. The speakers were Canon Dr. Iain Luke, the Rev. Matteo Carboni, the Rev. Dr. Laura Marie Piotrowicz, Dr. Adam Wright, and Bishop Dr. Sid Haugen.
The speakers gave academic and pastoral perspective on preaching. For examples, Dr. Adam Wright gave the biblical background and history of theological themes. His talk was designed to show how our Advent readings our rooted in the Old Testament.
The speakers often gave tips on how they preach. For example: meeting with members of the congregation and discussing the Bible reading together, considering the perspective of the congregation, and, framing the sermon as hopeful by thinking of the future.
As the conference was academic in nature, some people became tired. It can be overwhelming to hear five lectures. Nevertheless, the conference met the need for the Anglican dioceses in Saskatchewan to provide training for lay preaching.
It was Bishop Sid, from the Lutheran church, who gave the context for this need. Out of 100 congregations in the Lutheran Church, 40 are without clergy. It is similar in the three Anglicans dioceses in Saskatchewan. The next step is to assess how many lay preachers we have in our three dioceses, and ask how we can help.
As we build lay preaching in our dioceses, perhaps we will follow the steps of Saints Peter and Paul, and Henry Budd, and find ourselves sharing our faith in the living rooms of friends and neighbours.
