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Vocations

Discovering how our gifts and talents meet the needs of the world around us as we walk with God is called finding our ‘vocation’ – our special calling in life.

Your vocation might be as a nurse or a teacher, an engineer, hairdresser, designer or a taxi driver – or even a lay minister, chaplain or vicar!

You will know when you find your true vocation because you will be energised, motivated and effective. This is because you will and have a deep sense that not only are you in the right place and doing the right thing, but that God is delighted with you.

As part of your discerning and reflection, you might like to explore the definition of vocation in this animated short developed and produced by The Fund for Theological Education.

Exploring Vocation in the Diocese of Salisbury.

Vocations Mentors

Finding your true calling in life, and particularly working out how you might contribute to the local church is not always easy. So we have a diverse team of Vocations Mentors and Advisers spread across the diocese, both lay and ordained, ready to help with that big question: “What is God calling me to do?” You will need to speak to your local lay and ordained leaders who will be pleased to help you, but you might also find a Vocation Mentor a good place to start.

The Mentors walk alongside anyone who is in those very early stages of seeking to answer this question. These friendly and informal conversations look at ‘calling’ in its broadest sense and explore all forms of ministry, from youth workers, wardens, PCC officers and treasurers to commissioned or licensed ministry, and everything in between.

If you’d like to be put in touch with a Vocations Mentor in your area, contact the diocesan Vocations Adviser.

For licensed ministry, lay or ordained, the Vocations Team offers more in-depth discernment, through a series of conversations - take a look at the downloads below first. but we’d love to hear from you when feel ready to contact us.

Authorised ministries

There are five authorised ministries in the Diocese of Salisbury. The downloads below offer more information about these roles and suggest next steps if you feel called to one or more of them.

• Lay Worship Leaders are commissioned to assist in planning and leading worship in the parishes where they live.

• Lay Pastoral Assistants are commissioned to engage in pastoral ministry on behalf of the local church, working as part of a team of clergy and lay people.

• Licenced Lay Ministers (also known as Readers) are licensed by the Bishop for a preaching and teaching ministry in the parishes where they live or work.

• Ordained Ministry – priests and deacons are ordained by the Church to lead local churches and share responsibility in pastoral care for everyone living in the parishes where they serve.

• Commissioned Lay Pioneers – are trained and authorised to gather people into new expressions of Christian Community. They have a sense of calling to mission outside the regular church structures.

Useful links

Here are a few useful links for exploring God’s calling to Christian ministry:

• Church of England Vocations (national website)

• Pioneer ministry (national Church of England site)

• Church Army Evangelists

• Licensed Lay Ministry National Website (Reader Ministry)

• Gap Year Opportunities