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'Lay people' is a term reffered to the common man by the church. Where there are priests and nuns and the people who attend the ceremony is termed as lay people.
The likely word is deacon (a clergyman, or a lay person active within a church).
I believe the United Methodist church would not agree to a non-celibate gay person as a minister of the church; however, a liturgist, musician or a lay leader may be well accepted.
A lay preacher is one chosen from the laity to serve a a preacher when the pastors of the United Methodist Church are gone.
The only sacrament that a lay person may administer is baptism, and that only in an emergency, in an accident where there is danger that a person is dying or dead. You may be asking about Extraordinary Ministers of the Eucharist, who are laypeople (or clerics in Minor Orders) who are appointed to help distribute Holy Communion, they are just called Extraordinary Ministers.
The term "lay person" is a derivation from the word "laity" which indicates any member of the faithful who is not in holy orders and does not belong to a religious state approved by the Church. Thus a lay person is any baptized man or woman. If that person enters the priesthood or a religious order then they are no longer a member of the laity, but become either a religious or a cleric. You don't become a lay person, you're born that way.
the definition of a 'lay person' is non ecclesiastical. He can, for example, be received into a convent of monks without taking holy orders. Further more, he can assist the Priest in Church as a Sidesman, an assistant to the Churchwarden. He can also preach.
Roman Catholic AnswerYes, anyone can "bless" someone or something, but no, not an official Church blessing, for blessings from the Ritual, or official blessings at Mass, for instance, you need an ordained member of the clergy.
Within the Catholic Church, there are various lay positions such as catechists, lectors, and extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion. These roles allow laypeople to actively participate in the Church's mission by spreading the teachings of the faith, proclaiming the Word of God, and assisting in the distribution of the Eucharist. By serving in these positions, lay members help to strengthen the community, deepen spiritual growth, and support the overall ministry of the Church.
A lay person is not ordained a deacon, as they have not received the sacrament of holy orders. In contrast, a bishop is an ordained minister who has received the full sacramental authority of the church, including the ability to ordain others. Deacons, like bishops, are also ordained but hold a different role within the church hierarchy.
Yes, Cecilia was a lay person.