Weekly Greeting - October 17, 2025
Did you know that laypeople were primarily responsible for the success of Methodism in its earliest days on the American frontier?
The preachers in early American Methodism were often called “circuit riders.” One preacher might be responsible for two or three churches that may or may not have been geographically close to one another. In fact, when two or three United Methodist churches are served by one pastor today, we still refer to those churches as being “on a circuit.” This meant that in early American Methodism the preacher would only visit each church once every month or so — or maybe more infrequently than that.
So who was in charge when the pastor wasn’t there?
The laypeople, of course!
The laypeople were responsible for organizing the church members into small groups in which members held one another accountable for their spiritual lives. Laypeople preached, taught, and provided pastoral care in the absence of the circuit rider, which means that they had far more responsibility for the care of the congregation than the actual preacher did.
As pastoral ministry began to require more formal education, the emphasis on the role of laypeople diminished, I believe, to the detriment of the church.
This Sunday we will be celebrating the role of laypeople at Bethlehem United Methodist Church. Using the structure of our five-fold membership covenant, you will hear how the prayers, the presence, the gifts, the service, and the witness of this congregation have transformed the life of our congregation and our neighbors.
It will be a wonderful time of worship and reflection that will be a blessing to all!
In Christ,
Mary Beth