Message from the President:

Dr. Mary J. Matthews

Welcome, and thank you for taking time to visit The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Connectional Lay Council’s website. This website offers a wealth of educational material, newsletters, forms, upcoming events and other tools, to assist you in achieving your goals in lay ministry.

The lay organization (Connectional Lay Council) was first established by the 1916 General Conference. The General Conference of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church directs that there shall be a Lay Council for the purpose of (1) deepening the spiritual life of the Laity; (2) disseminating information; (3) cultivating denominational loyalty, (4) expanding the denomination through education and evangelism and (5) promoting any other interest of the Kingdom of God.

The Connectional Lay Council shall have the power to adopt its own Constitution and/or Bylaws to be ratified by the General Conference. The Lay Council shall have the power to elect its own officers who meet the qualifications and shall be members in good standing of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Each Episcopal Area shall be represented on the Connectional Lay Council Executive Board by a regional director. The Director shall be appointed by the International President and confirmed by the Executive Board. The voting privilege in the Connectional Lay Council shall be contingent upon the paying of dues with the exception of honorary (clergy and those under 18 years of age) members.

Our mission is to prepare and equip laity for life discipleship in the Kingdom of God by maintaining effective ministries that evangelize, encourage and edify laity. Great things are in store for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church as we purposefully develop lay leadership and ministries to bless and reach others for Christ. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. – Proverbs 3:6

We are all about bringing others to Christ, it’s our motto. The Connectional Lay Council has embraced the Quadrennial theme as presented by The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Episcopal Leadership during the 2016 General Conference: “THE FREEDOM CHURCH: Refocusing on Our Purpose, Reviewing Our Practices, Retooling Our People, Reaching Our Potential.” Information relevant to this theme can be found under the Resources Tab on the website.

Through the ministry of this website, we invite you to share in the wonderful experience of what it means to be a connectional church family. If you are not a member of the Connectional Lay Council, join today and make a difference in the life of your church. To receive the CLC newsletter and other email communications, send your name and email address to the CLC office using the Contact Us Tab on the website.

Revisit the website often, to stay abreast of the latest news, activities, study materials and information on Connectional Lay events.

Grace and Peace,

Dr. Mary J. Matthews, International President