Am I called to be a priest... or something else?
If God calls us, it is does not always mean we are being called to be ordained.
We are all called to use our skills and gifts to work with God in growing his kingdom here on earth. That can mean a variety of things.
As the church we are called to be the body of Christ with each of us having a different function in the same way that different parts of the body have different functions.
"Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good." - 1 Corinthians 12: 7
For most people this means using their God-given gifting to support the work of the church. This could be in administration or working with children or young people, supporting the homeless, reading the lesson in services, serving during the liturgy. These are vital callings which should be prayerfully offered to your vicar. Without people serving in this way the church cannot flourish fully and these are ways every member of the church can contribute effectively to its ministry. We have a page devoted to wider vocations to help you to explore this further.
Licensed Ministry
"Licensed ministry" refers to those roles where training and formal authorisation is conducted beyond the local church, by the diocese or national Church of England.
For some this could mean being ordained as a priest or a distinctive deacon. It could mean following a path towards being a licensed evangelist, perhaps with the Church Army, or joining one of the Anglican religious orders, or working within your church as a Licensed Lay Minister (formerly known as a Reader). All these are licensed ministries and require formal selection processes and take time to explore and train.
"Not Just On Sunday"
Calling goes well beyond what we do in church services and meetings. We are called by God to serve Him in all that we do. Jesus' call is to love God and neighbour - and this itself is a full-time calling.
"I Think God Wants Me To Be A Vicar"
If you - and others who know you well - sense that God is calling you to ordination, then please explore further here.
