Part-time clergy make room for lay ministries

From New Hampshire-

One of the biggest trends in church life is one that denominations actively discourage: the growing use of part-time clergy to lead congregations. No longer able to afford full-time pastors, churches are defying warnings and signing up part-timers, who often have other jobs and limit their church work to 10 or 20 hours a week

Congregations braving these waters have plenty of company. Five years ago, 55 percent of United Methodist congregations in New England had a part-time pastor. Today, it’s 70 percent. The percentage is nearly as high (about 66 percent) for both the United Church of Christ in Maine and the Episcopal Diocese of New Hampshire. Having a part-time leader is no longer an oddity. It’s the norm.

More here-

http://www.newburyportnews.com/news/religion/part-time-clergy-make-room-for-lay-ministries/article_138044aa-dda0-5756-87f6-7bd829e33c9e.html