Vocations

The calling of the people of God

In the Diocese of Leicester we are developing a culture of discipleship, expressed as Everyday Faith, which encourages all Christians into a deeper relationship with God that will enable the flourishing of individuals, churches and communities.

Faith is not simply a gift to receive but a life-long journey guided by God and in the company of fellow pilgrims. Fuel for the journey includes adopting habits of prayer, feeding on God’s word and sharing fellowship and worship with others on the journey.

The vocation to live out our faith in the whole of life is the calling of all Christians: rooted in our baptism and the commandment to love God and love our neighbour. It is also about hearing and responding to an invitation to be part of God’s mission in the world. Each Christian fulfils a range of ministries as faith is lived out in all spheres of life.

You can read our Growing Vocations Policy here.

The video below explains this in more detail:

How do I know my calling?

As we grow in faith we should be attentive to how God might be calling us. So how could you explore this further? Well it might help to consider the following:

1. What does your head say?

a. What are your good at?
b. What capacity do you have given your current circumstances?
c. What is your common sense saying?

2. What does your heart say?

a. What fires you up and gives you energy?
b. What do you care about?
c. What do you enjoy?

3. What does your spirit say?

a. What is happening when you pray, read the bible and worship?
b. Are there particular passages of the bible that are coming alive for you?
c. Are you identifying with particular people in specific roles?

4. What do others say?

a. What do the people you trust say to you about your faith and calling?
b. What do other people see in you that you haven’t seen in yourself?

Additional tools

There are some additional tools to help you explore your faith and any sense of calling:
a. Life Signs which can be found by clicking on the link.
b. The Journey in Faith Course

Vocations and the church

Christians are living out everyday faith in all aspects of their lives but many are also serving their local churches in a range of capacities crucial to building up the worshipping community. Some are called to specific ministries authorised by the church at local, diocesan or national level. Such vocation is not simply an individual enterprise but held within the wider vocation of the local church to reveal the Kingdom of God in their community.

Vocations authorised by the church are infinitely varied but can be broadly described in the following categories (click on each box to find out more):

I would like to know more – what should I do I do next?

The best way forward is to have a conversation with your incumbent or a wise friend then arrange to meet a member of the Diocesan Vocation Team by contacting:
Liz Rawlings, Discipleship and Vocations Enabler - liz.rawlings@leicestercofe.org

UKME and Vocations

The Diocese of Leicester is committed to growing leadership that reflects the rich diversity of our communities where all are empowered to contribute to the ongoing journey of being Shaped by God. It has been recognised that a number of factors exist which can inhibit or disadvantage those from the global majority in following an authorised vocation. The Vocations Team has developed a strategy to assist vocational pathways, training and ministry experience to be accessible and equitable regardless of ethnic and cultural heritage. This strategy will be published here soon.

Young Vocations

When God called Jeremiah he responded ‘I am only a boy!’ but age was no barrier to God using Jeremiah most significantly. We want to encourage the whole people of God to grow in their calling and offer particular support and pathways to those who are young. These are outlines in the Young Vocation Strategy which will be published here in due course. We also have a Ministry Experience Scheme in the diocese which gives young adults (18s-30s), from all backgrounds, the space and time to test God’s calling on their lives. You can also email matt.long@leicestercofe.org to ask any questions or to enquire about forthcoming events or training opportunities.