ministry
A priest is called to be a servant and a shepherd.
- The tasks are:
- to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people
- to call sinners to repentance and to declare God's forgiveness to them
- to teach, to baptise and to preside at the Eucharist
- to care for all people after the pattern of Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve
- to study and to pray
- to encourage people to exercise the ministry given to them in baptism
All clerics exercise a pastoral and a liturgical ministry. but not all do so in the same way The obvious differences are those between the parish clergy who spend all their time working in a parish situation, and those clerics who exercise their ministry in schools, hospitals, prisons, and the armed forces. But there are some clerics whose ministry is exercised within the framework of a parish, but whose boundaries are wider and whose life-style is different.
Non stipendiary ministers receive no living expenses from the Church, and support themselves financially. They can be reimbursed for travelling expenses, telephone calls and so on.
Family commitments can make it impossible for a person to be sufficiently flexible to work in the stipendiary ministry, and some feel that their pastoral ministry would best be exercised at their place of work, enabling Christians there to fulfil their ministry in that place. Such a ministry is exercised in such a way that it provides regular contact with people who never attend Church, and who have no formal contacts with any religion.
Selection and Training
Each person's vocation is unique. That vocation has to be articulated to those in the Christian community responsible for selecting people for ministry.
If you think God is calling you to this ministry you should speak first to your Incumbent or Chaplain. The next stage will be to meet the Director of Ordinands and the Bishop and to attend a meeting of the Diocesan Selection Board. After that, the Bishop may arrange for you to attend a Provincial Selection Board.
Those chosen for training usually undergo three years' training at a theological college in Wales or elsewhere. But there is some flexibility according to academic background and age.
For more information contact Canon Keith Smalldon at Keithsmalldon@aol.com or talk to your local Parish Priest.