Certified Lay Ministry

Certified lay ministers are laypersons, and as such may not consecrate the elements at communion, perform weddings, receive new members, or perform baptisms. The CLM, however, may perform all of the other duties of a pastoral leader within the ministry setting he or she is assigned. It is important that as a CLM, you consult with your CLM mentor or district superintendent to ensure that there are no state laws that would prohibit you from performing any civil ceremonies such as funerals. (Source: © 2016, Discipleship Resources, Nashville, Tennessee.)

Learn more about the Certified Lay Minister program or view the CLM Brochure from Discipleship Ministries.

Meet the Instructors

David B. Palmer

David B. Palmer is a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) serving as Conference Co-Director of Lay Servant Ministries in the Florida Conference of United Methodist Church (UMC). He is assigned to Belleview UMC in roles of teaching, preaching, developing leaders, congregational care, missions, and community connections including Northeast district pulpit supply. David serves on the Conference Board of Laity and Committee for Lay Servant Ministries. His career encompasses senior executive leadership in public safety services and as an adjunct college professor focused on leadership, strategic decision–making, and outstanding on-line learning. David brings his spiritual gifts, talents, and enthusiasm as a BeADisciple.com instructor and CLM Program Coordinator to mentor future Certified Lay Ministers in exceptional service as Jesus’ disciples. 

De Keimach

De Keimach was confirmed as a Certified Lay Minister in the United Methodist Church in February 2022.  She first visited the United Methodist Church in January of 2017 and knew she had found her spiritual home. 

De serves her home church (Aldersgate UMC in North Reading, Massachusetts) as the worship chair, with a primary focus on using social media to extend the reach of the church.  From assisting with weekly worship broadcast to daily posting across platforms, she knows this ministry is essential to keeping people connected no matter where they are.  This focus supports the belief that the church is not the building but is the people.  De also enjoys writing and leading prayer. She has been a student in many BeADisciple courses and appreciates the opportunity to become an instructor/learner. 

Elaine Pratt

A retired college professor, Elaine Lehecka Pratt is a Certified Lay Minister (CLM) currently serving the Community Church of Durham. She teaches multiple courses on BeADisciple and writes daily devotions based on lectionary Scripture. To be added to that mailing list, contact her at devotions@guidestep.org. Before retirement Elaine was program director of and taught in the graduate program in pharmaceutical manufacturing and engineering at Stevens Institute of Technology. Prior to joining Stevens, Elaine spent many years in the pharmaceutical industry as a corporate middle manager and an independent industry consultant.

Jerra Jenrette

With a Ph.D. in history and an M.A. in religious studies, Jerra Jenrette has taught a wide range of courses during her 34-year academic career. These have included History of Christianity (at both the undergraduate and graduate levels), US and European Women’s history, Salem Witch Trials, and various domestic and study abroad trips. During her work for her religious studies degree, she took multiple courses that focused on Hebrew Bible and Judaisms. She has taught causes for her church on “Herstory: Women in the Bible” and “Herstory II: Bad Women of the Bible.” In addition, courses completed through her local Lay Ministry School and beadisciple.com have allowed Jerra to earn her Lay Servant, Lay Speaker, and Lay Minister (CLM) certifications. Jerra is an avid reader of theology and history and has a deep interest in examining Scripture through multiple lenses.

Todd Seifert

Todd Seifert is a Certified Lay Minister in the Great Plains Conference (Kansas and Nebraska) of The United Methodist Church. He serves fulltime in ministry as communications director for the Great Plains as well as serving as pastor at Centenary UMC in Lawrence, Kansas. He is a regular contributor to an online daily devotion email within the Great Plains Conference and hosts an award-winning podcast titled “In Layman’s Terms” that tells stories about discipleship and shares reflections on scripture. He has more than 25 years of experience leading Bible studies for all ages, though his favorite is facilitating Disciple I Bible Study, a task he has enjoyed multiple times over the years. And he has led the class “Acts as a Lenten Journey” on BeADisciple.com.