St. Lawrence Lounge (Vocations, lay-ministries, and discernment)

[Arcangl86]

It's less clear with the preist hood, but it is an explicit written policy for the diaconate that you have to do the normal 3 year process. Plus intern in both a church and a non-profit. Mind you, I work in a non-profit. A Episcopal non-profit at that

 

[Shane R]

There are a handful of Continuing schools and the 2 smaller REC schools (Cranmer House and Bishop Cummins) which could save you a fair amount of money, IF the bishop would approve them. Even though your orders are ultimately going to come from TEC, many of the Continuing schools will still accept you because a dollar of tuition paid is a dollar in the coffers.

My diocese had a deacon who I assumed was permanent because he had been a deacon for about 7 years and finally he completed a particular educational course that the bishop had laid out for him and pursued priesthood. He was ordained the cycle before me.

 

[Arcangl86]

That's a fair point, though I doubt my Bishop would approve them. I also don't want to relocate for seminary if at all possible.

 

[Shane R]

That's a fair point, though I doubt my Bishop would approve them. I also don't want to relocate for seminary if at all possible.

The only Continuing seminary that is residential is St. Joseph of Arimathea (APCK) in Berkeley, California. Even they run the summer session as an online program, last I knew.

 

[Arcangl86]

The only Continuing seminary that is residential is St. Joseph of Arimathea (APCK) in Berkeley, California. Even they run the summer session as an online program, last I knew.

That's good to know, though they will probably just force me to go to the local div school, which unfortunately for me is Ivy League, and thus a bloody fortune.

 

[Arcangl86]

So after some discussion with my rector, assuming i don't get a job that requires me to move, I will be starting discernment in Feb.

 

[Arcangl86]

Today I submitted the paperwork to become an official inquirer for the Priesthood. in TEC, this means I need to enter into a period of formal discernment with a committee from my parish and then in the summer apply to be formally admitted as a postulant, which would be the beginning of formation.

 

[Paidiske]

Good to hear that things are moving for you.

How are you feeling about it all?

 

[Arcangl86]

Good to hear that things are moving for you.

How are you feeling about it all?

Somewhere between excited and terrified?

 

[Paidiske]

That sounds pretty healthy.

Seriously, the discernment process is a two-way street. It's a chance for the church to discern your vocation, but it's also a chance for you to take a long, sober look at the reality of ministry in this context and ask if you can give your entire self, and the rest of your life, to it.

In that sense, I'd encourage you, despite the excitement and terror, not to shy away from the hard questions.

 

[Arcangl86]

That sounds pretty healthy.

Seriously, the discernment process is a two-way street. It's a chance for the church to discern your vocation, but it's also a chance for you to take a long, sober look at the reality of ministry in this context and ask if you can give your entire self, and the rest of your life, to it.

In that sense, I'd encourage you, despite the excitement and terror, not to shy away from the hard questions.

Apparently my parish is really good at helping inquirers explore those questions. I'm looking forward to it, though the vulnerability required does make me nervous .

 

[Paidiske]

Understandably. If it ever helps to have a sounding board safely on the other side of the world, my inbox is always open.

 

[Arcangl86]

One thing that is interesting is that my parish has apparently done quite a few of these discernment processes in the last few years. Like 6 or 7 in 9 years, and all of them ended with the inquirer deciding not to continue forward. I hope to break that streak!

 

[Paidiske]

It's been my observation here (I have no idea whether it's similar overseas) that there are particular parishes which produce many aspirants. I am not sure whether that's because potential aspirants are drawn to particularly vibrant parishes, or whether those parishes encourage vocational questions (perhaps a bit of column a, and a bit of column b)?

As for how many people go forward, the reality is that the majority of people who test a vocation won't go forward. That's the process doing its job. My ordaining diocese did their discernment process at a diocesan level (rather than at a parish level), and of my discerning cohort, very few would be ordained today. But it's better that they and the church realise that their vocation is elsewhere, before hands are laid on, rather than after.

But for those of us for whom it's right, a thorough discernment process doesn't have to be a problem. I'm grateful that the church made me take the time to get it right. And to sort of get my head around what was coming!

 

[Deegie]

First off, I'm happy for you, @Arcangl86. I remember that time well. It was stressful, but in the way which produces much spiritual growth. I learned a lot about myself, about the church (both nationally and locally), and about how all of of us would likely get along in the future. You will be in my prayers.

But it's better that they and the church realise that their vocation is elsewhere, before hands are laid on, rather than after.

Yes. This right here. I have unfortunately met some of those priests who probably shouldn't have made it through the discernment process.

 

[Paidiske]

One of the guys who was at the same selection conference as me resigned his orders after ten years. His comment was that it takes a certain type of person to thrive as a priest in the contemporary church, and that he had learned - after ten years of giving it his all - that he just was not that type of person.

It was a huge shame, because when he was good, he was very good (I'll never forget being at a funeral he took for a colleague who committed suicide). But perhaps if he had been helped to recognise that it wouldn't work for him before being ordained, he could have been helped to find something he could sustain.

 

[Arcangl86]

So as an update, I finished the parish process, and went to the next stage. The Bishop has sadly decided not to invite me to continue forward.

 

[Paidiske]

I note the "sadly" in that post. If it helps to talk about it, either here or by PM, please do.

 

[Arcangl86]

Still processing mostly, but yeah there is sadness and disappointment. I know you are supposed to go into it with openness to any result, but that's not terribly realistic. I subjected myself to the process, which is pretty grueling on an emotional and spiritual level, because I was so sure about this call. Honestly, most of my adult life had been spent following that call, and knowing it's over now is really disorientating lol.

 

[Paidiske]

Of course it is.

It's probably hard to see now that it's not over, in the sense that there will be something which is the right fit. But it may take some time to get there, and in the meantime, it's okay to grieve what might have been!