By The Rev. Gretchen Rehberg
Church of the Nativity, Lewiston

The common perception of the Commission on Ministry – the COM as it is known, is that our work only concerns those who want to be ordained, and that our work is usually to interfere with this desire. Nothing could be further from the truth! The work of the COM is to help all members of the Church discern God’s will for their lives, to facilitate the formation and education required to pursue that calling, and to provide the ongoing and life-long continuing education for all Christians. We are about formation for ministry for all people, holy work for holy people. Not “holy” as “I am more special than you”, but holy by virtue of our Holy Baptism, and our participation in the Holy Eucharist, holy by virtue of our calling as members of the Body of Christ.

The process of discerning God’s desire for our lives is holy work. In taking up this work we give the gift of our very selves to God. As the Rite One Eucharistic Prayer puts it, “…we offer and present unto thee, O Lord, our selves, our souls and bodies, to be a reasonable, holy, and living sacrifice unto thee”. To seek out God’s leading in our lives is an act of generosity and love toward God.

We are all imago Dei. Created in the image of God, we participate in God’s presence in the world through all the aspects of our lives. The process of “discernment” or “spiritual direction” draws our participation in God up into consciousness. It is more than “feeling” that God is calling us to a certain task or state of life. Discernment relies on bringing our lives, concerns, and questions into the presence of scripture, reason, and prayer. It continues by noticing and reflecting upon the thoughts and feelings that arise in these times of study and prayer. Then in personal and group reflection upon what has been noticed, the path forward comes more clearly into focus.

We are all Christian ministers by virtue of our Baptism. We are all called to share in Christ’s eternal Priesthood. Thus the ministry of the laity is the foundation upon which the Church was established, the structure which gives it strength throughout its history. Every Baptized Christian is called upon to bring the presence of Christ into the home, workplace, and the community.

The COM has recently sent to every church an updated “ministry manual” which provides information about the discernment process for those who are seeking ordination as priests or deacons. This manual also has the updated “competencies” for the licensed worship ministries. One of our goals is to provide clear and transparent information about what is necessary for licensing and ordination in this diocese.

Even more important is our desire to assist every member of the diocese to seek and learn God’s will for their lives. We will be conducing regional workshops starting this spring around the question of discernment and call. These are not going to be focused on ordained ministries, but the call to ministry that all of us have as the baptized. Look for more information about places and times for these workshops. It is the hope of the COM that we can be a diocese where every member knows themselves to be called by God to do the work of ministry. Our task is to help that happen.