Thursday, February 18, 2010 | Last Updated Saturday, September 4, 2010 14:52 Pacific/Honolulu
Ordination process
The first step in the ordination process is discernment of the ministry to which God calls a person: layperson, deacon, or priest. The Commission on Ministry (COM), a diocesan body that helps in the discernment of ministry, has written a document about discernment, Guidelines for the Discernment of Ministry in the Diocese of Hawai‘i. Additional information about discernment can be found on the "Discernment for Ministry" page (under What We Do > Lay Formation).
These Guidelines start off with the following statement:
"Discerning a call to ministry, whether lay or ordained, is a process involving both an individual’s sense of vocation and the church’s affirmation of that call. These Guidelines are intended to assist individuals and congregations in the process of listening to God and to one another in order to determine how a person may most effectively live out the ministry to which God calls him or her, to the glory of God, for the benefit of the Church, and for the fulfillment of the individual’s vocation."
Basically the steps in the ordination process are as follows:
- A person experiences a sense that God calls him or her to ordination in the Church and/or the faith community experiences that a person in their midst shows signs of being suitable for ordained ministry.
- A Discernment Committee is formed to work with the person over a period of several months to discern the call. The individuals that make up the Discernment Committee are chosen by the clergy in charge of the congregation, in consultation with the individual. (Note: Congregations are encouraged to develop ongoing Discernment Committee that can be called upon to work with anyone who wishes to discern how God calls them to serve.)
- If the Discernment Committee discerns that the individual may be called to ordination, they write a report and present it to the Vestry or Bishop's Committee of the congregation. The report must specify whether the person is called to be a Deacon or a Priest. For further information about what the Discernment Committee needs to include, see the document "Nomination Steps."
- The Vestry/Bishop's Committee writes a letter to the Bishop nominating the person for the ordination process. The clergy in charge of the congregation must also endorse the person's proceeding in the process. For further information about this letter, see the document "Nomination Steps."
- The Nominee (as he or she is now called) writes a letter to the Bishop accepting the nomination. This letter must include a number of items, as specified by the Canons of The Episcopal Church. These are outlined in the document "Nomination Steps."
- The Bishop and COM each meet with the Nominee. The Bishop chooses whether to admit the Nominee to Postulancy, a period of preliminary preparation and formation.
- After a period of time of formation, the Postulant applies for Candidacy, a period of continuing formation. Again, the Vestry/BC and clergy must endorse the person's proceeding to the next step. The Postulant meets with the COM and the Standing Committee of the Diocese.
- When the Candidate has reached a level of sufficient formation (though recognizing that formation is ongoing, even after ordination), the person applies for ordination. Again, they are endorsed by their Vestry/BC, meet with the COM, and the Standing Committee. The COM must verify that the person is sufficiently prepared in the areas of competency required by the Canons of The Episcopal Church. These are different for Deacons and for Priests. A person may not be ordained until at least 18 months from the date of their initial acceptance of Nomination. (This is specified by the Canons.)
- Ordination to the Diaconate. If a person is called to the Priesthood, he or she will be ordained first to the transitional diaconate for at least six months.