Ordained ministry

The order of Deacons is a full and equal order of those ordained to ministry. When called to be a distinctive deacon, you are called to provide a focus for the whole church of the servant ministry as modelled by Christ to his disciples. Working collaboratively with laity, priests and bishops, Distinctive Deacons encourage and help to co-ordinate the servant ministry of the whole church within the mission of God in the world.

The diaconate is a go-between ministry, working within the church but also reaching out to the whole community particularly those on the fringes of society and making sure the church is aware of the needs of the wider world. They have a prophetic ministry as heralds of the gospel - envoys or advocates. They may be involved with issues of justice, poverty or environmental concerns.

In their liturgical role they may be responsible for intercessions (leading and training), reading the gospel, introducing prayers of penitence or in leading non-Eucharistic worship, including funerals and baptising and marrying when necessary or appropriate. They also share in preaching with all other ordained or authorised ministers. Deacons have an enabling role alongside the oversight exercised by bishops and priests.

Deacons test their vocation and attend a Bishop's Advisory Panel in the same way as priests. Candidates over the age of 32 years train on a part-time course over a period of three years.

A stipendiary minister is someone who exercises their ministry full time from which they receive an income (a stipend) and usually a house. Whilst most will minister primarily in a parish setting throughout their lives, some will function in a specialist ministry as chaplains to hospitals, the armed forces, prisons, industry, schools, universities and colleges. 

Increasingly, many people exercise their ministry as they continue in their ongoing occupations. Such ministers are referred to as self supporting ministers. The title reflects not on their ministry but on the fact that they receive no income from it.

The Church of England is committed to fresh expressions of Church: new and different forms of Church for a changing society. We need new forms of ordained ministry to pioneer these fresh expressions of Church and to guide their life. 

There are some common threads which point to what the Church is looking for in an ordained pioneer minister:

• A track record and experience of leading or involvement in a fresh expression of Church
• A heart for mission and evangelism and for reaching out to those outside the life of the church
• Good and effective communication skills
• Potential for imaginative, pioneering ministry

If you are called to ordained pioneer ministry you will need to have (or the potential to develop) these gifts. You will also need to fulfil the same criteria for selection as all candidates for ordained ministry in the Church of England.

Some potential candidates feel called to ministry in a chaplaincy setting, for example in a prison, hospital, school or workplace.  It would normally be expected that such a candidate would need to do a curacy before moving to such an appointment, although some have served as curates and chaplains at the same time.

Vocations Advisers are not there to promote one type of ministry, but to listen to your story and to help discern what God might be saying; they are there for you. If at any time you would like to speak with a Vocations Adviser, you should first speak with your incumbent and then contact the Vocations Adviser in your Archdeaconry.

Bromley and Bexley Archdeaconry
The Rev Alison Newman
Email: newmans60@btinternet.com

Rochester Archdeaconry
The Rev Jim Fletcher
Email: jim@stgeorgesgravesend.org

Tonbridge Archdeaconry
The Rev Wil North
Email: revwilnorth@hotmail.co.uk

Each Archdeaconry has a team of men and women, lay and ordained, who are able to help. You can also email the Diocesan team direct on: vocations@rochester.anglican.org.