Laity is essential to the life and health of our churches, so we need to support lay formation and access to quality learning experiences. This program was designed by lay preachers in Maine who wanted to receive formal training in preaching so they could feel more equipped and empowered to share their ministries. You can choose to preach in your home parish or to travel and preach in other Maine churches with a recommended stipend and travel reimbursement rate.
The program has two parts:
- Participation in a lay preaching module for six weeks with Backstory Preaching, an independent, ecumenical company dedicated to developing preaching.
- Ongoing support from the group of Mainers who have completed the Backstory class and who want to support lay preachers. This includes an annual retreat and inclusion in the preaching roster for the diocese, if you would like to have your name added and be called upon by Maine churches to visit and preach.
The Winter 2026 Backstory Preaching course is online and runs on Sunday evenings, 5 – 6:30 p.m. for six weeks following the orientation session on Jan. 18. The final session is March 5. During Start-to-Finish Week (March 1-5), participants craft a sermon in real time and on final day they preach and appraise one another’s sermons in small group breakout rooms.
The annual retreat for Maine participants will be held at Camp Bishopswood in September of 2026 (more details to come).
Tuition is $475 for the course (participant pays $100, and the parish pays $100 if possible- contact Director of Faith Formation Emily Keniston if this poses a difficulty in any way).
Also contact her to sign up and with questions!