Lay Ministry Training
There are various forms of lay ministry, with some requiring licensing from the ecclesiastical authority within the diocese. In the Diocese of Southern Ohio, all licensed lay ministers must undergo Safe Church and Dismantling Racism training. Furthermore, these ministers are encouraged to participate in the diocesan initiative focusing on four essential aspects of Becoming Beloved Community: truth-telling, proclamation, formation, and justice.
Eucharistic Ministers, Visitors, & Worship Leaders
To receive a new or renewal license as a Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor, and/or Worship Leader:
To apply for or renew a Eucharistic Minister, Eucharistic Visitor or Worship leader license, use the link below:
To receive a new or renewal license as a Preacher, Pastoral Leader, Evangelist, or Catechist
contact the Rev. Canon Jason Oden (joden@diosohio.org) for more information.
Safe Church
Ensuring the safety and protection of children, youth, vulnerable adults, and employees from any form of sexual harassment, exploitation, or abuse is a paramount duty for all congregational clergy and leadership. Safe Church training equips clergy, staff, and volunteers with the necessary knowledge of policies and procedures essential for maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all individuals engaged in ministry.
Safe Church Education and Training is hosted by Praesidium Academy. If you have used Praesidium in the past for your certification, you still have an account. If you are unsure, you can try to log in using the email you believe you last used and reset your password. If you continue to have trouble, email Sarah Beegle
(sbeegle@diosohio.org) to troubleshoot.
After finishing your required modules (see below), email your transcript to our Parish Administrator: parishadmin@trinitycolumbus.org
Required Safe Church Courses
Required Courses for Children & Youth Ministry and Crisis Childcare Volunteers:
Required Courses for Lay Ministers and other Volunteers:
Additional Courses Reccomended by our Diocese for Volunteers:
Start Safe Church Courses HERE
Background Checks
If you are already Safe Church certified and interested in volunteering with our children and youth, we require you to submit a background check to ensure the safety of our children and other volunteers.
Below you will find guide with what kind of background check we ask for, the code they ask for, and where they need to send it.
Please use the following link to find a Webcheck® Location for your background check:
We will need a FBI and BCI Background check. They may have you fill out a form asking for information about yourself and about where to send it. They may ask you for a reason and code for your background check, the reasoning is Out-of-Home Childcare, and the code is ORC Code 2151.86
Contact (if any): The Rev. Jed Dearing
Email: revjed@trinitycolumbus.org
Company name: Trinity Episcopal Church
Address: 125 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43215
Phone number: (614) 221-5351
Please hold onto your receipt and the church can reimburse you.
Becoming Beloved Community: Dismantling Racism Training
Dismantling Racism Training is open to everyone as the first step in taking part in our diocesan commitment to Becoming Beloved Community and working “diligently and to pray fervently for the transformation of ourselves and of our communities of faith to dismantle racism and injustice in all of their forms”
(Resolution 2018-03: Becoming Beloved Community).
The training is required for all clergy, staff, lay leaders, volunteers, and contract workers, all members of the Diocese of Southern Ohio are encouraged to sign up.
Picture books offer an excellent way to discover, discuss, and share stories about topics that many people did not study in school but that are crucial to the work of repairing, healing, and seeing God in each other. Registration is open for Dismantling Racism training sessions taking place in the coming months. Miriam McKenney leads the trainings, which take place on Zoom.
See the upcoming dismantling racism training series:
