We’re becoming increasingly aware in the Church of the importance of every Christian discovering what their particular ministry and vocation is, and one of the signs of a healthy worshipping community is that everyone in the church family - lay or ordained - sees themselves as having a vital part to play in the life and mission of the church and wider community.
Later this month, we are holding a diocesan vocations day, as an opportunity for people to explore their sense of calling - particularly if you’ve become aware of God ‘tapping you on the shoulder’ recently.
How am I to live out my faith? What could God be saying to me? What opportunities are there to serve God? To explore these questions further, come along to ‘Everyday Calling’, with Bishop Saju Muthalaly.
You might have a heart for supporting refugees, growing faith in schools, protecting the planet or feeding the hungry.
The event will include seminars on how to set up a social action project, exploring ordained or lay ministry, training opportunities and how do I hear from God?
There will also be time to chat to people in a range of callings including Church Army, Street Pastors, spiritual directors and schools projects.
Revd Liz Rawlings, our diocesan Discipleship and Vocations Enabler, has helped to coordinate the event and will be on hand to support and guide people through the day - and further on in their vocational journey.
She says: “We are all called to live out our faith in all aspects of life and that includes our households, how we interact with the community, our work place, the planet, as well as our role in the shared mission and ministry of the church we belong to.
“We want to help people figure out what God is saying to them, and to explore what their vocation is.”
Reved Sue Willetts, Interim Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO), says: “We want to encourage young people to explore their vocation, but this day is for everyone.
“You might be 15, 30, 65 or 80. God calls us at different ages and in all seasons and stages of our lives, so come as you are – there are no preconceived ideas.”
To many people, the word ‘vocation’ is associated with the call to ordained ministry. But you don’t have to be a priest to serve God - there are lots of other ways in which the Church enables people to undertake particular roles and tasks in mission.
“This day is not just about ordination,” says Sue. “Who God is calling you to be, and what God might be calling you to do, is really important and comes in so many different forms.”
Liz adds: “There will be plenty of stands to walk around, seminars to attend, and people to have conversations with who are living out their calling. We welcome you to come along and see where God might be leading you.”
The Everyday Calling vocations day is also an opportunity to meet and be encouraged by the new Bishop of Loughborough, Bishop Saju.
He says: “I am looking forward to being part of Vocations Day, exploring how we hear and respond to God’s calling.
“Could calling be the inspiring place where God’s overarching purposes, your immeasurable contentment and the world’s deep-rooted hunger meet?
“If you sense a nudge or a prompt in your spirit to probe this further, Vocations Day might just be the finest way to spend a Saturday.”
One church in the diocese that has been emphasising active discipleship and encouraging members to discover their vocation is All Saints with Holy Trinity in Loughborough.
We talked to some of their congregation to find out how God has been nudging them into various forms of service.
Rachael is 30, a graphic designer, and currently in the process of discernment to ordination in the Church of England. As a teenager she served on the Bishop’s Youth Council, and during her university years was part of an evangelical free church, before joining All Saints with Holy Trinity.
She says: “I naturally enjoy creating space for worship and helping people connect with their faith and God and, reflecting back, in my previous church I was prevented from doing this because I didn’t fit the specific personality of those in leadership. I’m outspoken and passionate about justice and inclusion, and wasn’t seen as a ‘person of peace’. Though I was fortunate that my faith journey to that point had been surrounded by women in ministry, they didn’t look or sound like me.
“When I moved to All Saints I knew I was home. On my mum’s recommendation (she’s a Reader) I started the Journey in Faith (JIF) course and really widened my understanding of theology, but I was determined I didn’t want to be a vicar and saw it as a discipleship year, refusing to do the written assignments. Of course, I had to catch up very quickly later on!
“There’s such a generous spirit at All Saints among the ministry team for everyone interested in ministry to have a go, and as a liturgical church, it’s so accessible. There’s such a strong sense of inclusion, that you are loved as you are, by God, and as part of our community.
“Seeing Wendy (Dalrymple) priest in that way, it just made me realise that’s what I want to do – I want to hold people in my heart and create a space where they feel loved and safe because we all have gifts that are really important and completely from God and we are a total blessing.
“I was expecting people to be - ‘You? No!’ - but everyone has been so encouraging.
“Of course I’ve prayed about it, endlessly, and this calling is part of a much wider personal journey for myself and my husband, because practicalities have to be considered when you are giving your life to ministry.
“If you think ordination is for you, try as much stuff in church as possible, ask lots of questions of lots of people in ministry and learn about the breadth of the Church, so you understand what you’re getting yourself into. It’s a gathering of experience and knowledge.
“Discernment might seem like you’re exposing yourself to judgment, but it’s not like that. It’s as much about you testing the water for what will be the rest of your life for you and your family. I’ve been completely myself throughout this process, learning and maturing as I go, and the overwhelmingly positive response I’ve had is really validating.”
Penny has dedicated much of her life to serving the church and community, as a former RE teacher, working alongside children with special educational needs and disabilities, to assisting with playschool and the Beaver Scouts, singing in the church choir since she was 17 and serving as Church Warden.
Today, at the age of 69, her commitment to love her neighbour and share God’s love through her calling continues in her actions such as cleaning the church, leading unconscious bias training, and serving on the church’s Intercultural Worshipping Communities steering group.
Penny is pretty sure that God isn’t guiding her to ordination, but after attending a diocesan vocations day a few years ago and completing the JIF course, she knew she felt called to do more and is exploring ways in which she can live out her faith in the church and community.
“As time goes on in the Shaped By God Together process, the more I feel like I am being called by God to support the talented laity within my church by getting involved with pastoral work,” she says. “I’ve started being a good friend to a group of people I’ve known in the church for many years, the elderly, who may be wary of returning to church and appreciate a visit or meeting for lunch and a chat.
“I like being in control of my time and feel passionately about the needs of people and a sense of inclusion – whatever that may be, in race, age, disability, the whole spectrum.”
INFO
Everyday Calling, with Bishop Saju, is happening on Saturday, March 26th, between 10am and 3pm, in the Grand Hall at St Martin’s House, Leicester. The event includes lunch – please state any dietary requirements. To book your place, contact Claire.Stapleton@leicestercofe.org