Vocation Vocation at the centre of every Christian’s life. It’s not just about becoming a priest, it is about how we live out our lives in response to what God has done for us and who he has called us to be. All Christians are called – to come to Christ and in following him we are called to worship, to Christian community and to mission. We are called to be baptised and take Holy Communion, to love our neighbours, to make disciples and to make new disciples. Within society we are called to love our neighbours by serving them through our work, whether paid or voluntary. For a Christian work is less about earning money or status than service. Within the home we have a vocation to love our family. Within the church, we are told that “The manifestation of the Spirit is seen in each one for the good of all.” (1 Corinthians 12:7). It’s like a big jigsaw and without everyone playing their part it doesn’t look quite right. Within that jigsaw some people are called to specific ministries and roles, paid and unpaid, ordained or not. This leaflet is to help you to explore what God might be calling you to do. The first part will focus on locally-recognised roles which are looked after by your church. The second part will focus on licenced ministries. Both types of calling are vital to the mission of the church.

Partnership None of us can work out our vocation in isolation, any more than a

jigsaw piece looks right on its own. Ordained and non-ordained (lay) people work together to build God’s church. It’s only when everyone takes their part in this that God’s Kingdom can begin to take shape in our local community. Vocation is more than work;

more than employment; it’s a calling from God on our lives. Vocation begins when we do what we do not for our own benefit but out of the love we have for someone else.

Gifts God gives us different gifts to fulfil our different callings. Some of them we are aware of and some are only discovered when we step out and take on a new role He has called us to. This is why it is sometimes necessary to sit down with someone else to work out what that is in your case. We call this process “discernment” or working out what God is doing. Vocation is all about spotting God in action and joining in! You could have a gift for hospitality or support of the elderly or disabled. You might be a skilled administrator, a

musician or great at explaining things to children or young people. You could be someone who is passionate about helping other people to share the Good News. You could have an urgent need to pray for other people’s situations or be the person they turn to for quiet calm listening when they are troubled. The gifts God has given to his church are endless.

Journey As we develop as people and Christians, so the nature of our vocation can change. Some people find they are called to ministry of one kind for a time which then changes into another form of service. This doesn’t happen for everyone. It isn’t unusual for people to know they were called to be ordained, for example, from a very young age. Sometimes it develops over time.

Roles—Locally Recognised All of these roles are important and the list is not exhaustive. If the roles listed here speak to you or even if they make you think of another way to serve please talk to the clergy or churchwarden in your parish to see where your gifts might be used. Some may need checks to be completed in line with diocesan policy. Worship Leader People who are called to lead worship musically often have specific musical gifts. Leading worship, however, is more than just playing a guitar at the front, playing the organ or conducting the choir. It involves

understanding the role music has to play within the overall worship of the church and helping to link singing with prayer and liturgy. It takes prayer and humility to understand the difference between a performance and worship to facilitate it well. Churchwarden Churchwardens are Bishop’s Officers, called to give account of the life and work of a parish. Their duties include oversight of

finances, keeping records and ensuring statutory duties are met. They also care for and maintain their church grounds and buildings and are a vital part of the mission.

They are responsible for caring for the priest and ministry team. They explain parish policies to the community and take a leadership role within the PCC. They are selected by the parishioners of the church before being licenced by the Bishop. Evangelists Licenced evangelists within the Church are Church Army Officers. The Church Army brings the gospel to the disadvantaged, difficult housing estates, people in prison and other similar situations. Officers can be employed full time by the Church Army or do this role as a

volunteer. The Church Army Officer’s primary role is to equip other people to share the Good News. Others can also be called to be an evangelist without being called to the Church Army. It’s the gift of presenting the gospel in your own local context that guides people to faith. All personality types can evangelise and it just takes a concern for people who seem far from God and a gift for talking about Him warmly and engagingly. Youth Worker Passing on the Christian faith to the next generation is everyone’s

responsibility. However some people feel they have a specific calling to work with children and teenagers as they explore their faith. The majority of youth workers are volunteers but some are employed. Their primary role is to ensure that every young person in the

congregation has the chance to engage fully and relevantly with their faith and to encourage and support their discipleship. Administrator This is often overlooked as a calling but there is clear reference to administration as a vocation in Acts 6 and Matthew 25. Their role is to organise and ensure clear direction as well as helping ensure things happen in an efficient accurate and timely way. Good administration produces the necessary information at the right time and in a form that makes sense to others.

Some administrators (eg PCC Secretary, Treasurer etc) have statutory duties. Others work behind the scenes to ensure that

the local church operates smoothly. Whatever the role, administrators can energise and encourage a ministry team or parish helping them to meet targets and monitoring priorities. Intercessor Everyone is called to pray. It’s fundamental to a healthy relationship with God. But beyond that there are some who are called to

intercede by leading others in prayer or praying for the needs for the church or the world as their primary ministry. Every aspect of the mission of the church is rooted in prayer and through the support of faithful intercessors the church can grow. Sometimes it is heard in a church, especially from older

members of the congregation who are becoming infirm, “Oh I can’t do much any more I can just pray!” “Just” praying is a vital function in the ministry of the local church. Prayer underpins everything the church does and active intercessors enable the church to be effective in everything it does, locally, nationally and in the world as a whole. Teacher of the Faith There are many ministries associated with teaching the Christian faith in a church. The role could involve Sunday School teaching, leading small groups or ‘faith essentials’ classes for those new to church. Others help prepare candidates for baptism or confirmation. All of these roles

focus on the role of faith in daily life and society and involve helping people to work out their faith in the whole of their lives. Teachers are called to model the Christian life as well as teach it. They inspire and support as well as instruct. They encourage people to be radical and relevant in their discipleship. Lay Pastoral Ministers Lay Pastoral Ministers are people authorised to minister to people in their own homes. They take communion to the sick and support the minister in many areas of pastoral care. This could include hospital visits, prison visiting, visiting old people’s homes or other institutions. Some pastoral ministers spend time volunteering in charities supporting the homeless or those in severe need. They offer practical and spiritual support to people from doing a bit of shopping for them to helping them get to church. Often they can be a friendly ear listening at the end of the phone to someone going through difficulties.

Roles—Formally Licenced Reader Readers are called to preach, teach and inspire others to follow Christ. They are people who are not ordained and exercise an important role within worship, supporting the pastoral care of the church. Readers can conduct non-Eucharistic services and funerals. They play a significant role in teaching the faith within the church

under the guidance of the priest. Readers often have secular employment which brings insight to their preaching and teaching. Their presence helps keep the church relevant to the world because of their unique role as a bridge between the sacred and the secular. Their ministry in the church is often a powerful witness to people who otherwise have no contact with the church. Reader ministry is recognised nationally but assessed within the diocese and involves three years of training in theology as well as practical experiences. Anglican Religious Life A calling to the Religious Life can be enacted in many different ways. It can be exercised in community as a monk or a nun in a religious

community. It could be exercised as a “tertiary” or someone who has not made vows of celibacy but agrees to follow the rule of a religious Order in their life. It could also be lived out as a single consecrated person. Another possibility for young people (aged 20-35) is to spend a year living in

community at the Community of St Anselm at Lambeth Palace (stanselm.org.uk). Pioneer Minister Pioneer Minister is the term used by the Church of England to refer to those called to start new churches and congregations. The role can be either lay or ordained and the focus is on evangelism and mission, although all ministers should have a significant calling to mission and evangelism. Deacon The name means “servant” and they are called to remind the whole church of our collective calling to meet people at their point of

need. A deacon acts as an envoy mediating between church and community, bringing Christ to the world. As an ordained person a deacon is often associated with the doorway. Someone who stands on the threshold between the world and the church. In the

liturgy they usually read the prayers symbolising bringing the concerns of the world to God. All ordained people begin their ordained life as a deacon. This is an aspect of their calling which remains throughout their life whether

or not they are subsequently ordained as priest. Some, however, have a calling specifically to the Distinctive Diaconate which is a role on the edge of church supporting people on the margins. Priest Priests are called to encourage their fellow Christians by word and example to remain faithful to Christ and to live out the Gospel in the world. They are authorised to declare the forgiveness of sins and pronounce God’s blessing. Priests lead in worship, in particular presiding at the Eucharist. They celebrate marriages and baptisms and lead the pastoral care of the church. They can be self-supporting or stipendiary (i.e. paid or unpaid) but the fundamental nature of the role does not change. Where do people minister? All these formally-recognised roles can be worked out in a variety of ways. This could include chaplaincy work in prisons, hospitals, schools or universities. It could mean being in a parish or group of

parishes, which for priests could be either as the priest in charge or an assistant priest. Within all this it is important to realise ministry in the Church of England is primarily about all the people in the parishes in which the churches are situated, rather than

just those who come through the door on a Sunday morning. As a minister in the church the call is to serve as a witness in the local

community which requires a more outward focus than simply presiding at worship within the church.

What can I do? We said earlier that everyone in the church has a calling. We all have a part to play in building the Kingdom of God in our local community. If you are starting to gain an understanding of what that means for you, please talk to your priest. If you’re thinking your calling might be to ordained ministry you will need to already be committed to and involved in your local church. The model of leadership in the church is servanthood and that will need to be demonstrated in your work in your local church. So get involved in any way that you can, be it serving tea and coffee after the service, laying out the chairs or welcoming. Jesus himself took the role of the lowest servant when he washed his disciples’ feet and all ministers should follow his example of service in leading.

Things to consider if you think you may be called to ordination Your vocation will affect your whole family. It’s not a job you do it’s who you are. This changes how you are perceived and even on days off it’s difficult to be truly “off work”.

The discernment process is hard work and intrusive to ensure people have the necessary character, skills, holiness and integrity to serve the church in this way. Please be prepared to talk about the difficult times in your life. This is an important part of the process and ensures that you will be able to minister effectively.

Fellowship of Vocation To support people who are exploring God’s call, the diocese organises Fellowships of Vocation four times a year. Held in Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford at the end of January, April, July and October they are an opportunity to hear relevant speakers. They also give people the chance to meet with others on this journey of discovery. For more information, please visit the Fellowship of Vocation web page: http://www.leeds.anglican.org/vocations/fellowship-vocation

What Next? After you’ve spoken to your priest, if they recognise your calling, they will contact the diocese. This will lead to you meeting with someone to discern what God is saying. The following websites relate to the formally recognised vocations: Priesthood For those under 30: www.callwaiting.org.uk For general information www.churchofengland.org/vocation Distinctive Deacons www.dace.org Lay Reader www.readers.cofe.anglican.org

Pioneer Ministers www.churchofengland.org/clergy-office-holders/ministry/selection/pioneer-ministry.aspx Church Army Evangelist http://www.churcharmy.org.uk Anglican Religious Life www.vocation.churchofengland.org/the-religious-life/ To find out more about the year at Lambeth Palace with St Anselm: stanselm.org.uk

Some comments from our curates: You’re a bridge between the community and the church. - Nick

There’s so many firsts – if I wasn’t enjoying it, it would be overload! -

Sue

You always have to be thinking on your feet.

For example what’s the correct procedure

when a man’s dog has jumped into the grave

after him and is being hauled up by his lead?

Carry on or wait? - Phil

I was a bit nervous about doing my first baptism. I was just starting

the service when Mum stood up and stopped the service. We can’t

start now Nan’s not here! Sometimes you’ve just got to take charge,

firmly but gently! - Jonathan

In a recent service centred on Jesus gathering Jerusalem under his

wings I decided to use chickens in the service as an illustration. After

the sermon the chickens were put in a box but they didn’t seem to

like the Eucharistic prayer as part way through one of them pecked

their way out and tried to escape! - John

Baptism last week was a lady who had brain

damage and had been a prostitute. She felt God

had called her there to be healed. When she

was baptised on Saturday she said “I’ve waited

30 years for this day. I know from this day on

things will be different” - Linda

Contact us:

Email: vocations@leeds.anglican.org Website: www.leeds.anglican.org/vocations Tel: 0113 353 0260 Reader Ministry: Website: http://www.leeds.anglican.org/readers Find us on facebook: www.facebook.com/VocationsLeeds And on twitter: www.twitter.com/VocationsLeeds

Church House, 17-19 York Place, Leeds, LS1 2EX