Our English word 'vocation' might sound scary at first, but it comes from the Latin vocare and means a summons or calling. Thus, when we speak of Christian vocations, what we are talking of in colloquial terms are our callings. These calls have their root in the shared call we all have in Baptism from Jesus to follow him, just as he called the first disciples. We are each called individually as well to live into our lives of faith and run the race set out before us, and so we can speak of Christian vocations on both collective and individual levels.
As members of the Body of Christ, our shared vocation ('call') as Christians is to follow Jesus Christ. This is practically lived out in our daily lives as we seek to be faithful witnesses to Christ whilst living in but not of the world. In addition to the two Great Commandments (loving God and loving our neighbours), we live out our faith through the study of God's Word in the Bible, daily prayer, and corporate worship as found in the Book of Common Prayer.
Though we all share in the royal priesthood of all believers in our collective vocation as Christians, we individually are called as well to exercise our gifts and talents for the Kingdom. Just as God formed each person in our mothers' wombs and knows us by name, so too do His designs on our lives intend for us to seek His will and cooperate to live out our Gospel callings in our individual lives. Just as each part of a body plays its part to make up the whole, so too do we believe each person is specially called to a holy life dedicated to God within the Body that is the Church.
Everyone – women and men, young and old – has a role to play in the Church. The Holy Spirit calls all of us to serve Christ in building up his Kingdom and live as the Body of Christ in the world. We need evangelists, administrators, church planters, youth workers, presbyters (priests), churchwardens, people with website skills, deacons, financial experts, preachers and a whole host of others to make up the Body that is the Church.
It may be that God is calling you to exercise one of these ministries in the Northern Diocese of the Free Church of England. We are happy to explore this possibility with you and seek God’s will together.
It may be that God is calling you to exercise one of these ministries in the Northern Diocese of the Free Church of England. We are happy to explore this possibility with you and seek God’s will together.
For men who believe that God may be calling them to serve him as deacons or presbyters, we will help you test this vocation and work out a suitable programme of training, tailored to your needs and situation. Below is a general outline of the steps and requisite training toward ordination, which can also be viewed in the ordination flowchart at the bottom.
Ordination outline within the Free Church of England
Ordination outline within the Free Church of England
- Initial discussion with the Bishop
- Application and review
- Interview and acceptance as Ordinand
- Tailored theological training and spiritual mentorship
- Ordination interview
- Ordination to the diaconate and training posting
- Continued development and further discernment (leading to the presbyterate)
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