Exploring God’s Call

Four young adults are to spend a year living in community in Poole as they explore a possible vocation to ordained ministry.

The Pray, Serve, Grow Ministry Experience Scheme is based in a former vicarage in Canford Heath, where the four will live alongside a house companion, Fiona. The participants were commissioned by Bishop Karen at a service in Church of the Good Shepherd in the Dorset town last week.

They will gain experience of ministry in placements in four local parishes as well as having the opportunity to further their Christian education at Sarum College and St Mary’s Longfleet as well as taking the CPAS Growing Leaders course at Holy Angels, Lilliput.

The participants will pray together daily, eat together when possible and develop a rule of life as a Christian community.

Benny Hazlehurst, the Diocese’s Vocations Co-ordinator, who has organised the programme, said, “I’m delighted and excited that this programme is up and running with four committed and passionate people exploring vocation.

“The programme gives young people a chance to experience parish ministry first hand and see for themselves what God might be calling them to. For too long, the Church of England advised young people who thought they had a call to ministry to ‘go out and get a life’ first, which is one of the reasons why we ended up with a shortage of priests.

“Now we are providing opportunities for young people to develop their vocation within the Church and gain realistic experience.

“We will be running the programme again in 2017-18 and anyone aged 18-29 who thinks she or he might be interested can contact me on benny.hazlehurst@salisbury.anglican.org or 01722 411 944.”

Speaking after the commissioning service, Bishop Karen said, “It was exciting to commission four enthusiastic young people setting off as explorers for their years experience on the scheme. We are grateful to the local clergy who are offering parish placements. I hope all the enthusiasm rubs off onto others as the year progresses - all good kingdom stuff.”

Please pray for the participants as they undertake this exciting venture. They are: Augustine Ihm, Leila Mather, Becky Pink and Abby Randall.