Vocations

In the Anglican community, we hold a spirituality that tells us that God calls every member of the church to Christian ministry. The ministries in the church are many. Put together, they enable us to be truly the living body of Christ in our contemporary society.

Discerning your vocation starts with a life of prayer. This is something we learn to understand over a lifetime. It does not mean being on one’s knees for hours a day. It means learning slowly but surely to sensitize ourselves to the voice and activity of God in every aspect of our lives.

If you are exploring what God is asking of you, speak to your local rector and ask about spiritual direction. Meeting with a priest, lay minister, or another spiritual person to share your journey can be a tremendous help.

The Diocese of Niagara supports several distinct pathways of ministry, each with its own discernment process. Application deadline for all ordained pathways is February 1st.

The Priesthood: For some, their part of God’s mission is most appropriately exercised as a priest, combining roles as presider, pastor, preacher, teacher, visionary leader, administrator, and transformational change agent. Inquirers meet first with the Bishop. With the Bishop’s invitation, the inquirer meets with the Executive Assistant and receives application forms. Applicants who are accepted begin a two-year period of formation before ordination. Learn More

Missioners: Missioners represent a new vocational pathway that trains potential mission-formed candidates for ministry within the diocese. There are three types of missioners: commissioned lay missioners, licensed lay missioners, and ordained missioners. Learn More

The Diaconate: Deacons are ordained persons called to a special ministry of servanthood, particularly to the vulnerable and marginalized. Their focus is on the church active in the world. Inquirers should speak with their rector, then meet with the Director and/or Deputy Director of the College of Deacons, before meeting with the Bishop. Learn More

Lay Ministry: The church is also served by licensed lay readers, commissioned lay missioners, licensed lay workers, and ordained missioners. Documents describing each pathway are available in the resources section below. Learn More

Religious Communities: The Sisterhood of St. John the Divine and the Community of the Sisters of the Church are also pathways of vocation within the Anglican tradition.
Learn More

Vocations ministry serves anyone in the Diocese of Niagara who feels called to explore deeper involvement in the ministry of the church. The discernment process is open to all baptized Anglicans, both lay and ordained.