Through baptism, we become members of the Body of Christ and enter into a covenant with God to continue in the ministry of the apostles through worship, evangelism, and serving Christ in all persons. God is infinitely creative in expressing God’s mission through individuals’ lives and work, therefore the breadth of ministry available is as wide as God’s imagination.

We are all Christian practitioners of the good news, and our churches are communities of practice where we all attempt to live and learn into the shape of Jesus’s life and teachings together.

We are Living and Learning Communities of faith practice, which we express both inside and outside of the church walls.

I am discerning the Priesthood…

Derived from the Greek word presbuteros, meaning “older” or “elder” with a connotation of a leader holding a position of responsibility based on experience and wisdom.

The Ministry representing Christ and his Church to the people by fulfilling a pastoral role, sharing with the bishop in overseeing the church, proclaiming the Gospel and administering the sacraments (see also: The Ordination of a Priest, BCP, 525).

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What are my vows as a priest?

Promises taken from Ordination Vows (BCP, 531):

• Proclaim by word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to fashion your life in accordance with its precepts
• Love and serve the people with whom you work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor
• Preach – Declare God’s forgiveness – Pronounce God’s blessing
• Share in the administration of Holy Baptism and in the celebration of the mysteries of Christ’s Body & Blood
• Perform the other ministrations entrusted to you
• Respect and be guided by the pastoral direction and leadership of your bishop

What are my commitments as a priest?

(adapted from ECMN Discipleship Hallmarks for Leadership)

• Commit to deepen relationship with God and to grow in faith with prayer, reading scripture, and commitment to worship and study
• Regular habit to practices of discipleship, discernment, and deliberation, modeling the rigor and discipline of prayer as a primary vehicle to walking the Way of Jesus
• Have a listening heart, open to listening to God, the community, the congregation, and differing views.
• Be a catalyst for discerning vision and identifying sparks of the Holy Spirit’s movement
• Be a faithful pastor who is intentional, prayerful and always listening to the hopes and concerns of God’s people and finding ways to accompany them in their lives
• Earnestly seek God’s will for the church, and work diligently, with tenacity and respect for the views, thoughts and suggestions of others, to bring about needed transformational and iterative change
• Serve as a ministry developer and seek to identify, nurture, encourage, and support leadership in others
• Be lifelong learners and commit to your own intercultural development and practice of Beloved Community
• Lean into learning specialized skills such as fluency in another language (especially Spanish), church planting, skillful facilitation, missional practices, etc.
• Articulate and preach the priestly invitation to be people of reconciliation, forgiveness, hope and blessing

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What gifts, skills, and talents do you bring with you into this ministry?

If you have already explored the Thresholds of Vocation pages, then you may have a solid grasp on some of your talents. You can also explore these TEAC grids developed by the Anglican Communion to assist you in exploring some gifts and skills needed for the Priesthood.

Go through these grids and highlight the skills you feel confident you possess. Which ones need further discernment and development?

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You may also recognize yourself or your calling in the examples below, or these may spark your imagination about something unique to you.

Responsibilities	Liturgical	Ministry Settings (stipendiary and non-stipendiary, bi-vocational)
– Ensure the spiritual formation of and instruction in Christian stewardship for persons in their charge	– Oversee the planning and conducting of worship	– Rector/Vicar at a church or associate priest at a church
– Provide for the preparing persons for baptism, confirmation, reception, and reaffirmation	– Administering the sacraments	– Chaplain (hospital, prison, school, etc.)
– Development of leaders	– Performing baptisms, marriages, and funerals	– Formation minister (Children/Family, Youth/Young Adult, Adult/Senior)
– Provide pastoral care	– Preaching	– Church planter; College or campus missioner

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How do I know which pathway is right for me?

Making a decision like this is one that happens in community with others and with God. As we know, this is the spiritual practice of discernment, which requires a lot of prayer and self-reflection and listening for the movement of God’s Spirit in your life.

It’s also important to listen to and seek wise counsel from trusted friends and family members. You may also want to begin meeting with a Spiritual Director. It is also vital for you to visit with your Rector, Vicar, or Head of Congregation during your discernment process.

If you have not already explored the sections on Thresholds of Vocation, here are some questions to help you as you continue the discernment process. Reflect carefully on these questions. We recommend writing your responses to them in a journal so you can share your answers with others when you discern with them. If you have already explored the Thresholds of Vocation pages, then you do not need to reflect on these again unless you find it helpful to do so.

How am I claiming and living out my Episcopal identity?

How is the Episcopal community important in my life?

What are some of the practices I’ve found helpful in growing my faith?

How am I involved in my local faith community?

What ways have I found to connect my life in my faith community with engagement in the larger neighborhood and beyond?

How has being part of a faith community clarified and/or deepened my spiritual life?

What or where are the ministries I have said “yes” to in my church?

In what ways have I mentored others in their faith?

Where have I opened the space for conversation with others?

How do I understand my leadership in my local church?

How has my faith grown as I work to empower others to use their gifts to serve the community?

Part of discernment is trying out some of the ministry practices that you believe you are called to, and there are many ways to do this…

(Be sure to discern with your Rector, Vicar, or Head of Congregation which of these options are right for you and your congregation)

• Use the Book of Common Prayer in your daily life: Pray the Office, Use the Devotionals
• Read the Bible
• Explore Missional Communities
• Practice civic engagement with your congregation to explore your skills around listening and working with opinions that are different than your own
• Join the Eucharistic Ministry team as both a LEM and a LEV to begin exploring your pastoral care skills
• Assist with leading Morning Prayer and engage more deeply with the liturgy of the church
• Work with your Rector, Vicar, or Head of Congregation to craft a sermon and preach once or twice