The Presbytery Leadership team is keen to encourage peoples engagement in the life and work of the Church. This web site aims to encourage people who have attended the ‘Oratory with purpose’ Seminar and elected to continue the personal pilgrimage toward becoming an Accredited Lay Preacher.

Please note this is not a public web site, it has been written as a Coaching Tool to assist people who want to become Accredited Lay Preachers. With the exception of your Minister, it would be appreciated if you did not share this site or its content with people who have not previously completed the Oratory with purpose seminar. Its designed for people in Presbytery Central who have completed the initial two hour ‘Oratory with purpose’ seminar.

The Seminar is a starting point around which people can develop and practice their skills in serving the local Church. This coaching marks the beginning of a rewarding pilgrimage toward becoming an accredited Lay Preacher.

There is an awareness amongst Church educators that we need to build up nurture and encourage people from all walks of life to be more fully engaged in their local Parish. Whether as lay Preachers, Teachers or Leaders there is an important role to be undertaken. These contents are provided to support and encourage individuals in their Ministry.This site contains five Exercises which participants are invited to pursue at their own pace.   Please read and explore this web site in your own way, at a time when opportunity enables. NOTE Content may change, be amended or developed in response to our shared learning.  Do hit my photograph and make contact if you have questions.

Presbyterian and Uniting Parish Lay Preachers are invited to read the site content and begin a conversation around the information it contains. In consultation with your local Minister and Session or Parish Council, when the reader is ready,  arrangement’s will be made to undertake observed or evaluated Preaching which will result in a recommendation to Presbytery. This web site aims at coaching and preparation of people seeking to be an Accredited Lay Preacher with the New Zealand Lay Preachers’ Association (NZLPA),  an association of lay people who have been accredited or recognised to lead worship or preach by one of the negotiating churches:- Presbyterian, Anglican, Congregational, Methodist. Their task is to encourage and support lay people in the conduct of worship and the proclamation of the Gospel in Aotearoa New Zealand.  Please click the NZLPA Logo below to be taken into their web site.   

NZLPA works with the church to help it provide and publicise training events, programmes, and continuing education. It issues Membership Certificates to accredited preachers and licensed worship leaders, plus Long Service Certificates to those who have completed over 25 years of service. The Association reports annually to the Co-operative Ventures Forum and to the National Body of each of the member churches.  NZLPA publishes a magazine called  ‘Word and Worship’ four times a year to encourage members in their work. It contains articles on topics relevant to leading worship and advertises other resources.