05/27/2026
This is a truly significant moment in the life of Basehor UMC, and we are excited to celebrate and congratulate Dianne Scott and John Schnackenberg on becoming Certified Lay Ministers in the United Methodist Church!
Becoming a Certified Lay Minister is not something completed quickly or casually. Over the past several years, Dianne and John have committed themselves to extensive coursework, training, discernment, interviews, and spiritual formation in preparation for ministry. Their certification reflects not only hard work and dedication, but also a deep and faithful response to God’s call.
There are currently only 15 Certified Lay Ministers in our conference, which makes this achievement even more meaningful. To now have two Certified Lay Ministers serving within our own church is an incredible blessing and something worth celebrating.
The Book of Discipline describes a Certified Lay Minister as someone who is “called and equipped to conduct public worship, care for the congregation, assist in program leadership, develop new and existing faith communities, preach the Word, lead small groups, or establish community outreach ministries as part of a ministry team with the supervision and support of a clergyperson.” It also connects this role to the historic class leaders of early Methodism who helped strengthen and care for the church through servant leadership and discipleship.
Anyone who knows Dianne and John has already seen these gifts at work. Both have been an integral part of the care ministry of Basehor UMC, faithfully walking alongside others with compassion, presence, prayer, and leadership. As Certified Lay Ministers, they will continue serving in these important ministries while also taking on expanded leadership roles within the church.
We are also excited to welcome them into the pulpit in the coming weeks:
• Dianne Scott will preach on May 31st
• John Schnackenberg will preach on June 7th
We hope our church family will come worship, support them, and celebrate what God is doing through their ministry.
We will have a more formal time of celebration and recognition during worship at a later date, but we did not want to wait to share this exciting news with our church family.
Please join us in congratulating Dianne and John on this remarkable milestone and faithful step in ministry!
