Lay Presider Training

As of July 2025, The Presbytery of Central Queensland (UCA) has revised the requirements for Lay Presiders at Sacraments within their bounds.

Steps for Recognition

1. Church Council nominates the person to become a Lay Presider at Sacraments. If the person has previously completed Lay Presider training (acknowledged by Presbytery), then proceed to the final step.
2. Church Council notifies Presbytery that they have nominated this person, and that this person requires training.
3. The person must complete the required training. See below for details.
4. Once the training has been completed, the person must be observed leading a communion service by a person appointed by Presbytery.
5. Church Council writes to presbytery, requesting the person be granted permission to preside at sacraments. On the first occasion after training this will be for 1 year, and subsequent renews of permission will be for 5 years.

The Training

The Lay Presider training can be completed 4 ways:

• Face-to-face in Central Queensland with a trainer appointed by Presbytery.
• On Zoom, with a trainer appointed by Presbytery
• Independently, using the resources available on this page (see below, if you are logged in as a person doing the training)
• Through the Centre for Ministry and Leadership (CML). This may require face-to-face attendance in Brisbane.

Doing the training independently

It is possible to do the training independently, if the face-to-face or Zoom options are not practical.

There are three workbooks – Sacraments, Baptism and Holy Communion, and you need to work your way through each of them, making notes and comments as you go. When you have completed all three workbooks, you submit them to Presbytery. The workbooks are in PDF format, and all of the notes areas are fillable, meaning you can do all your work on your computer and submit them easily by email.