Discovering these callings is the process of discernment, and discernment is a deeply formative process where we listen carefully to the call of God in our lives through prayer, seeking the wisdom of trusted friends and family, and exploring our call through the counsel and advice of our community.

Discernment (dia-krisis) means to separate. It is a “crisis” in the sense that it feels like an urgency to you, and there is a knowing that what came before will be different from what is ahead of you. A judgment must be made. It is a moment of de-cision, or a scissorial cutting.

A choice among options must be selected, but you don’t know which option to choose with any real certainty. There is both excitement for what lies ahead and a sense of loss for what is being left behind.

This means that discernment is very difficult. It is a long process that requires thoughtfulness, self-reflection, practical wisdom, and communal feedback from those trusted voices in your life. You may feel like giving up along the way, but we hope you will persevere!

Discernment is a process for the purpose of making a careful decision for our life and for the life of our community. So, listen carefully, and be open to the spiritual imagination.

There are many ministries inside and outside of the church, and there are many ways to serve our congregations and our communities. Please continue to listen carefully to the calling of God in your life as you embark on your journey of discernment.

Remember that this process is not a quick one. Formation is consistency over time.

Discernment takes time, and part of what takes time is personal self-reflection combined with communal reflection.

So, what is my next faithful step on this journey?

There are Two Options:

And don’t worry, you can circle back if you decide to do the other option!

OPTION ONE: Self-Reflection for the Purpose of Clarifying Your Call

In this next part of the process, be open and honest with yourself as you move on to the next step of discernment where you will explore “thresholds and signs” of discipleship in your own life.

This piece of the process will help you discover a lot about yourself in terms of your Christian Life of Faith. It will assist in giving you a sense of where you are on your journey as well as clarify some of the places where you feel called to serve through your gifts, talents, and skills.

Take a lot of notes. Write down your reflections in a journal. Keep your responses and take them with you as you share with your Rector or Vicar, your friends and family, and trusted voices of wisdom in your parish.

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OPTION TWO: Moving On to Explore More Specific Ministry Pathways

If you choose to skip Option One because you feel that you have already done enough self-reflection as a part of your discernment process, then you may review the Ministry Pathways below and select the one that resonates most with your calling and sense of aliveness with where you believe the movement of God’s Spirit is guiding you.

Once you choose a pathway, you will be offered more detailed descriptions of various expressions of each ministry based on the pathway you selected. You will also be asked to reflect on some basic discernment questions.