Whoever and wherever we are, we each have a unique calling to serve God in our everyday lives.

Perhaps you feel called to be a teacher or a vicar; or perhaps a lay chaplain or Reader? Maybe it’s none of these things.

Whatever sense of call you are experiencing, we’re here to help you.

Called to Serve is an invitation to explore God’s call on your life. Support, guidance, and prayer are all part of the process and will be readily available to you, and asking questions, no matter how small, is encouraged.

What is discernment?

Accepting that we have a calling can often be easy in comparison to the process of fully understanding the true nature of the role God is calling us to play, and the person God is calling us to be.

The process of discernment can take years of prayer and reflection and for some, it results in a call to licensed ministry, but for many more, it releases us to be something different.

Called to Serve is about exploring licensed ministry and the many, many more informal everyday roles and opportunities we can each step into for God. The day aims to help you to see the matrix of opportunity that make our whole life experience uniquely our own and a blessing to God and the world.

Called to Serve is for everyone, whether you are near or far on the journey of fully understanding how God is calling you to serve.

What happens on the day?

Called to Serve will take place entirely online via Zoom.

10.15 Opening worship

We will “gather” for a short act of worship and prayer.

10.45-11.15 Vocation soundbites

Vocation soundbites, exploring the rich opportunity of vocation for all.

11.30-12.15pm: Session One

The first of two sessions exploring a vocation of your choosing. When you register for the event, choose which session you would like to attend. Joining instructions will be communicated to you directly for each session.

12.30-1.15pm: Session Two

The second of two sessions exploring a vocation of your choosing. When you register for the event, choose which session you would like to attend. Joining instructions will be communicated to you directly for each session.

2.15-3pm: Closing worship

Closing worship with Bishop Mark, next steps outlined.

When booking, you will be asked to choose two of the following ten vocation areas that you would like to attend.

1: Youth, children and families ministry

This encompasses roles directly serving young people and their families. Sharing the good news of Jesus with young people in engaging ways is vital to ensure the Christian faith continues to grow.

2: Spiritual direction and accompaniment

Many people find a one-to-one relationship with a spiritual director or companion helpful in developing their spiritual direction. A spiritual companion or director is someone who walks beside other Christians in their journey of faith offering prayer and guidance.

3: Reader ministry

Readers are lay people who are theologically trained. They are licensed to preach, teach and lead worship but they also work a variety of other roles, in pastoral work, in training and education and much more.

4: Pastoral worker ministry

Pastoral Workers are lay people who are licensed to work in pastoral ministry in a voluntary capacity. That usually means involvement in pastoral care and visiting, including contacts through baptism, weddings, bereavement and illness.

5: Workplace ministry

Exploring vocation to Monday from Saturdays ministry in the workplace, including matters of vulnerability, integrity checking, decision making, life crises, dealing with failure and how we support those called to work outside the church.

6: Being a church school governor

Being a church school governor involves a willingness to become involved in the life of a church school on a regular basis and requires the prayerful and practical support of the local church. A governing board has a strategic role to develop policy in consultation with the staff of the school.

7: Living a more vibrant everyday faith

We each have a unique role to play in sharing our faith in our everyday lives. Monday to Saturday, as well as Sunday, God gifts us with opportunities to speak and act as disciples of Jesus.

8: The religious life

Some people experience a clear call to live a dedicated religious life within a religious institution or setting.

9: Being a pioneer minister

Pioneers are people who go to new places to live and tell the story of Jesus in creative, informal ways. They go specifically to places where there is no obvious Christian witness or community. Over time Christian community forms through this work, and through the prayer and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

10: Being a church army evangelist

Church Army Evangelists minister in a variety of contexts and situations to share the good news of Jesus through words and actions, reaching out to communities in ways that help them live life to the full.

11: Ordained Ministry

Ordained ministry takes many different forms in many different contexts. We’ll explore the main differences between lay and ordained ministry in this session, particularly looking at: assistant, incumbent, chaplaincy and deacon forms of ordained ministry.