We are all Christian ministers by virtue of our Baptism. We are all called to share in Christ’s eternal Priesthood. Thus the ministry of the laity is the foundation upon which the Church was established, the structure which gives it strength throughout its history. We emphasize the importance of lay ministry to the lives of individual faith communities and the larger Church. Some specific ministries are deemed by the Church as needing specialized training and education. Due to the training and education requirements, the Church has declared these to be “licensed ministries.” In this diocese the specific competency requirements for the licensed ministries have been approved and are found on the individual pages listed.