Dear friends in Christ,

Q. Who are the ministers of the Church?

A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. 

~ The Book of Common Prayer, page 855

This query and response from the Catechism in The Book of Common Prayer makes it clear that all people are ministers. Each of us is called by God into a particular vocation. Our life matters to God and for God’s mission in the world. Occasionally, that vocation intersects with the life of the church in a distinctive and different way, thus the call to ordination.  

As I did four years ago, over the next few months I will make myself available around our diocese to discuss vocational discernment. These events are intended for clergy of the diocese in charge of a parish or mission, and for anyone who has expressed interest in ordination to the diaconate or priesthood, or those currently in vocational discernment with their clergy. More information about the details of discernment can be found under the clergy resource tab on the main menu of our diocesan website: www.diocgc.org, or here: https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/4525a9_cd958651480344e3963504e23cda2166.pdf

At these convocational gatherings, I will present our diocesan discernment process, answer questions, and discuss the future of ministry in our diocese, including an update on our diocesan School for Ministry. A reason for these gatherings is our first class of eight students will graduate in June 2020. Now is the time to listen for the Spirit of God for a second class to begin in the fall of 2020.