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

[benedictine]

IowaLutheran, I invite you to visit the Cantebury Alehouse!

 

[gtsecc]

IowaLutheran, a good friend of mine just finished at The Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. And, we even have a Episcopalian ordinand there. He will have to do some training at an Anglican Seminary, but the bulk of the course work is the same for Anglicans and Lutherans.

 

[gtsecc]

Saint Stephen's House, or Staggers is another Anglican Seminary in the ANglo-Catholic tradition, like Nashotah House. Are there any others?

 

[Father Rick]

After about a year of chatting with with my Priest and a vocational advisor, i finally have an appointment with the Diocesan director of ordinands tomorrow . No idea what'll happen in our chats- something i've picked up in the Church of England is that things seem to take a loooong time!

Hey Tom... you never told us how things went...

 

[benedictine]

Is that the Seminary in SC?

 

[gtsecc]

The Lutheran one is.

Is that the Seminary in SC?

 

[IowaLutheran]

Yes, it is in Columbia, SC. Here is the link:

http://www.ltss.edu/

 

[gtsecc]

Staggers is in England.

 

[benedictine]

gtsecc, PM me.



I know that episcopalian ordinand!

 

[UberLutheran]

Since we're in full communion, I hope a Lutheran is allowed to take part in this discussion as well!

In a month, I'm going to begin my journey. I am a lawyer with a wife and three kids, but am feeling the call. I will be taking classes through Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Luther is the only ELCA seminary where a fair number of courses are offered online, which is necessary for me due to distance and schedule). I have been approved by the local synodical candidacy committee to become an Associate in Ministry, a rostered lay ministry of the ELCA. I will continue to be an attorney but will work part-time in the church as well.

I have a suspicion that someday I may go for the M.Div. and ordination but God will have to provide me with further direction. By the way, if I am ordained - I would love to serve an Episcopal parish someday through the CCM agreement.

My pastor, several people on the church council, my principal piano professor when I was in conservatory, and several of my friends have suggested that I really ought to see if I have "a call". We have a seminary where I live, and I've already taken several courses as a layperson (and just loved them!).

I can give God all sorts of reasons NOT to do this: I'm 50, I'm finally financially comfortable, I'm a liberal, I have an "interesting" sense of humor, etc. etc. -- and yet, I keep feeling this "push". Religion and theology are things in which I have a passionate interest, and on those occasions when I've gotten to preach as a layperson, I've absolutely loved it (to the point where I felt like I was in my 'element').

One of the things which has occurred over the last several years is that I've developed a real passion for studying Scripture, really digging into it to try to find out what passages are really trying to say, and encouraging others to do the same thing. (I get really irritated with those who think that listening to the Scripture lessons on Sunday is "enough".)

I've never really *thought* of myself has having a "ring around my collar" (sorry!) - and yet, at the same time, I know God has a long history of picking "unlikely people" to do His work -- and if this IS "the call", I know I will be another person in that long and proud history of God picking "unlikely people"!

 

[AveMaria]

Well then, welcome to the St Lawrence Lounge, UberLutheran!

(I'm also politically quite liberal and have my own rather interesting sense of humor. But the pull keeps getting stronger - lately, it feels like a tractor beam!)

 

[IowaLutheran]

We have quite a bit in common, UberLutheran, except I've always doggedly maintained that I am a moderate and not either conservative or liberal.

I hope to continue discussing our discernment process! Good luck!

 

[benedictine]

Are Anglican Priests required to say the Daily Office?

 

[AveMaria]

Are Anglican Priests required to say the Daily Office?

Believe it or not, I've heard different answers from different (Anglican) clergy. Perhaps someone can clear this up for us?

 

[TomUK]

I've always been told that it's an obligation for Anglican Priest to say the offices of morning and evening prayer.

 

[TomUK]

Hey Tom... you never told us how things went...

Sorry guys for not getting back to you. It was quite an intense meeting really. As it was my first time of meeting him i just assumed it would be all the formalities etc. but we actually spent about an hour and a half on some quite intense discussions (ie. the usual 'my christian life', and the whole calling business etc plus a few others). Everything seemed to go OK though, and i've now got a beast of a form to go through. One thing i'm increasingly learning about the Church of England though is it takes a loooong to get things done. I first started meeting with my Priest specifically about this around a year ago, and there's still quite a long way to go (ie. more meetings with the DDO, a good few forms to fill out, probably a meeting with the Bishop and then the dreaded selection conference). But is suppose this is a vital time and decisions shouldn't be made lightly, both on my part and theirs. I let you guys know how things progress.

 

[AveMaria]

Tom, you'll be in my prayers as you continue in the process. Please continue to keep us posted.

*Gulp* I'm actually quite intimidated to broach the subject with my Rector, which is ridiculous, I know. But I've promised myself I'll call and make an appointment by the beginning of Lent, and I shall hold myself to that!

 

[Father Rick]

16 days and counting for Ave to make the dreaded phone call!

 

[Father Rick]

Ok... let me encourage all you guys about one thing...

Yes, the process seems slow... but the slowness is actually part of the process. God is at work building character, patience, and endurance in you guys as you go through it.

Now, most of you know I took a rather circuitous route to get there myself, but the from the time I entered seminary (at 17) til the time I was ordained a priest was about 15 years and lots of 'practice' in every ministry position know to man. I literally was the church janitor, security guard, Sunday School teacher, interpreter for the deaf, sang in the choir, made banners, part of the dance team, cell group pastor, taught seminars, DJ'd on the church's radio station, had a teaching program on radio... I could keep going, but I'm getting tired of typing.

Now for most of you, it won't take THAT long... but I am just so hard-headed it took God a little longer than most to get me ready. But the main thing I learned through all that process, is that God is more interested in building men (and women) than He is in building ministers. It's all about letting Him grow character in you. The ministry will just be a natural overflow of the work Christ has done within you.

 

[benedictine]

Tom, you'll be in my prayers as you continue in the process. Please continue to keep us posted.

*Gulp* I'm actually quite intimidated to broach the subject with my Rector, which is ridiculous, I know. But I've promised myself I'll call and make an appointment by the beginning of Lent, and I shall hold myself to that!

You're not the only one who's intimidated.