More and more people are seeking ordination – Could you be one of them?

10/09/2018

Latest figures show a 22% increase in people selected to train for the priesthood over the last two years, with a 32% increase in young people. Furthermore, 54% of this year’s recommended candidates have been women.
Female clergy member hugging friend and smiling Keith Blundy

We believe every Christian is called to serve God with their given gifts and talents. This calling is what we call vocation. It is a call to follow Jesus in a specific way and in a specific context.

A vocational call emerges through prayerful relationship with God, is tempered by Christian experience and develops with others who discern and encourage.

We’re building a culture in which the vocation of each member of the Church can be identified, nurtured and celebrated so the whole Church can grow and flourish.

For some, this will be a specific calling to ministry, whether lay or ordained.

Revd Rachel Murray completed her training this year, bringing twenty years of experience in broadcasting and theatre to her ministry.

Reflecting on her journey, Rachel said: “I draw an immense amount of inspiration from C.S. Lewis, especially this quote from The Horse and His Boy: ‘Do not dare not to dare’. 

“To be daring, challenging, exciting and surprising is part of what it means to live out God’s love to those around us every day.”

All sorts of people train for ordination. There really is no such thing as typical and you don’t already need to have a theology degree; that’s what training is for.

What all our candidates share is a genuine and heartfelt desire to serve God and to serve others. If you’re looking to apply your skills in a new way, talk to your vicar or diocese about ministry, and begin an adventure like no other.

Find out more at churchofengland.org/vocations.

Joanna Burden
"Being able to try different aspects of ministry in a positive and encouraging environment has enabled me to try things that I wouldn't have put myself forward for. Also, being able to exercise a ministry has helped me to be confident in my sense of calling."

Growing numbers of young people are training for ordination. Joanna is studying at Cranmer Hall, Durham, having recently taken part in the Ministry Experience Scheme.

Shana Maloney
“It has been a privilege to witness how the church is responding to human need with loving service, but the experience also made me think about how the local and wider church can be involved in advocacy for those in need. How can it speak into issues of poverty, unemployment and homelessness which affect people’s lives so deeply?”

Loving your neighbour is at the heart of Christian service. Shana got a taste of ministry first hand through the Ministry Experience Scheme, and has now joined the growing numbers of young people training for ordination.

Mark Waterstreet
“Anybody can be called to ministry. My cohort at theological college included people who were both young and old, male and female, people of all ethnicities, some who had already earned PhD’s and some who had left school at sixteen.”

Mark served in the Police and in the Royal Marines before being ordained.

Matt Rodgers
I was recommended for training and studied at St Mellitus. The people are remarkable, and from so many different working backgrounds. It’s rich with amazing people, so to get to know people and chat with them and swap ideas is just brilliant. It fed my ministry back home and I really like that. The lectures were fascinating.”

Matt did an apprenticeship working with cars for Volvo, but a call to ordination was always at the back of his mind.