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  • Home
  • THE DIOCESE
    • WHO WE ARE >
      • Welcome from the Bishop
      • Where We've Been
      • Where We're Going
      • What is the Episcopal Church?
    • THE BISHOP >
      • Meet the Bishop
      • Bishop's Calendar
      • Bishop's Messages >
        • Bishop's Message Archive
      • Bishop's Bible Study
    • Diocesan Support Center
    • Our Churches
    • Our Schools
    • Our Camp
    • Supply Clergy
    • Governance >
      • Convention >
        • Convention 54
        • General Convention
        • GC Connection
        • Past Meetings of Convention
      • Commission on Ministry >
        • COM Overview
        • Discernment for Ministry
        • Ordination Process
      • Diocesan Council
      • Standing Committee
      • Commission on Finance & Budget
      • Commission on Investments
      • Commission on Property & Insurance
  • Ministries
    • A Cup of Cold Water
    • Daughters of the King
    • Deacons
    • Environmental Justice
    • Episcopal Church Women (ECW)
    • Missions Beyond the Church
    • Native Hawaiian Ministry Committee
    • Outreach
    • Prison Ministry
    • Retired Clergy
    • SPICE: Clergy Spouses
    • Worship Ministries >
      • Acolytes
      • Altar Guild
      • Eucharistic Ministers/Visitors
      • Worship Leaders
    • Youth & Campus Ministry >
      • Youth
      • College Campus Ministry
      • EYE23
      • Youth Design Team
  • EDUCATION
    • Spring Training 2023
    • Christian Formation
    • Continuing Education
    • EfM: Education for Ministry
    • Godly Play
    • Red Cross Training
    • Safe Church Trainings
    • Teachings by Clergy
    • Waiolaihui'ia Center for Ministry
  • RESOURCES
    • Forms & Documents
    • Annual Meeting Resources
    • Bible Links Online
    • Church Pension Fund
    • COMMUNICATIONS >
      • Overview
      • CHATS
      • Media
      • Online Tips
      • Social Media
      • Tech Stuff
      • Zoom Training
    • Evangelism
    • Grants >
      • Grant Opportunities
      • Chang Clergy Children's Fund
    • Lay Leadership >
      • Lay Leadership Resources
      • Coffee Hour
    • Lectionary Page
    • Licensed Ministries
    • Links to the Wider Church
    • Marriages in Hawaii
    • Music
    • Ordination Process
    • Parochial Report Stats
    • Planned Giving
    • Prayer Calendar
    • Safe Church
    • Stewardship
    • Supply Clergy
    • WORSHIP >
      • Worship
      • Online Worship
  • OPEN POSITIONS
    • Ordained
    • Come Serve in Hawaii Short Term
    • Lay
  • Contact
  • NEWS
    • Coronavirus
    • 60th Anniversary TEC-IFI
    • NEWS WEBSITE
    • Diocesan Calendar
    • Community Calendars
    • Photo/Video Gallery

Licensed Ministries

Certain roles in churches are filled by laypeople who have been licensed by the Bishop to function in these capacities. The ministries that need a license are specified by the canons (church laws) of the Episcopal Church.  They are:
  • Eucharistic Minister
  • Eucharistic Visitor
  • Worship Leader
  • Preacher
  • Catechist
  • Pastoral Leader

The Diocese of Hawai‘i has specified the training requirements for a number of these roles.

Definitions and Requirements

The Licensed Ministries in an Episcopal church are defined by the Canons of the Episcopal Church in Title III, Canon 4. They are defined below, in the order in which they appear in the Canons. Note that any of the licensed ministries, including that of Eucharistic Minister and Eucharistic Visitor, serve at the invitation and/or approval of the clergy in charge of the congregation. In the absence of a clergy in charge, the Senior Warden/Bishop's Warden endorses the applicants for licensed ministries. 

Pastoral Leader - A Pastoral Leader is a lay person authorized to exercise pastoral or administrative responsibility in a congregation under special circumstances, as defined by the Bishop.

Worship Leader - A Worship Leader is a lay person who regularly leads public worship under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.
  • Licensing Requirements for Worship Leaders
  • Application for Worship Leader licensing

Preacher - 
A Preacher is a lay person authorized to preach. Persons so authorized shall only preach in congregations under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.

Eucharistic Ministers - A Eucharistic Minister is a lay person authorized to administer the Consecrated Elements at a Celebration of Holy Eucharist. A Eucharistic Minister should normally act under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.
  • Licensing Requirements for Eucharistic Ministers
  • Application for Eucharistic Minister licensing

Eucharistic Visitors - A Eucharistic Visitor is a lay person authorized to take the Consecrated Elements in a timely manner following a Celebration of Holy Eucharist to members of the congregation who, by reason of illness or infirmity, were unable to be present at the Celebration. A Eucharistic Visitor should normally act under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.
  • Licensing Requirements for Eucharistic Visitors
  • Application for Eucharistic Visitor licensing

Catechists - A Catechist is a lay person authorized to prepare persons for Baptism, Confirmation, Reception, and the Reaffirmation of Baptismal Vows, and shall function under the direction of the Member of the Clergy or other leader exercising oversight of the congregation or other community of faith.
  • Requirements for Catechists
  • Application for Catechist licensing

Licensing

Requirements for licensing are outlined by the Commission on Ministry and then forwarded to Bishop Fitzpatrick for approval. Currently, the ministries of Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, Worship Leader, and Catechist are being licensed.

Licenses are issued by the Bishop. Licenses last for three years.

Training

Currently, any Deacon or Priest in a congregation may train the Eucharistic Ministers in that congregation, using a diocesan curriculum that has been prepared for that purpose. Although the curriculum includes a portion for training Eucharistic Visitors, they must be trained in a diocesan-sponsored training. 

Please note that the former licensed ministry of "Layreader" no longer exists. Anyone reading the lessons at a worship service in an Episcopal church should be trained by the Priest of that church (or by anyone to whom this responsibility has been delegated by the Priest), but the Lector (as such a person is called) does not need a license from the Bishop. However, if the person is also assisting by serving the chalice at Communion, then that person needs to be trained and licensed as a Eucharistic Minister.

Applying

The application form for a particular licensed ministry is linked on the left side of this page under the description of that ministry.  

An application for licensing is not complete until the clergy in charge of the congregation, or the Senior/Bishop's Warden in absence of a clergy person, checks off and signs the back of the form, verifying that the layperson has completed the necessary discernment and training required for licensing.

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