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Taking it Further

Licensed Ministries - Ordained Ministry

Women and men can be deacons and priests in the Church of England. They have a public and representative role, enabling the ministry of others.

 

Deacons lead worship, preach, teach, conduct baptisms and funeral and are involved in a ministry of pastoral care. They are usually ordained priests at the end of one year, although some may choose to remain deacons.

small red navigational triangle Read the story of a new Deacon

 picture of deacons at their ordination
   
picture of priests after their ordination
Priests need to be people of vision with the ability to be team leaders, encouraging the gifts of others. In addition to the duties of a deacon, they are given the authority at ordination to declare God's forgiveness and to preside at the celebration of Holy Communion
   

Bishops have oversight of the church in geographical areas called dioceses. Our bishops in Worcester diocese are the Rt Revd Dr John Inge, Bishop of Worcester (from Spring 08) and the Rt Revd David Walker, Bishop of Dudley. Assisted by a number of retired bishops they have the responsibility of maintaining the unity of the Church and guarding its faith. They ordain new deacons and priests and support and guide them in ministry.

small red navigational triangle Read Bishop David's story

Picture of Bishop John and Bishop David

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Ordained ministers serve God in a variety of different ways:

Some are paid by the Church. They are called stipendiary ministers.

small red navigational triangle Read the story of a paid minister

Some work within the Church without receiving any direct financial support from it. They may do this at the same time as continuing in their secular employment. They are called self-supporting ministers, or ministers in secular employment.

small red navigational triangle Find out more about becoming a self-supporting minister

small red navigational triangle Read the story of a self-supporting minister

Some ordained ministers, stipendiary or non-stipendiary, serve in the local community, based at a parish church.

Some work as chaplains in hospitals, prisons, schools, industry, the armed forces.

small red navigational triangle Find out more about chaplaincy

small red navigational triangle Read a chaplain's story

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Training
There are a variety of ways of training for the ordained ministry. People study either full-time at residential college or part-time on a local course (teaching sessions taking place on evenings and at weekends). Depending upon age, educational qualifications and previous experience, training takes either two or three years. It is not necessary to have a degree, or to have studied theology before, in order to train for the ordained ministry. To find out more, please email: the Director of Ordinands, the Revd Canon John Green.

small red navigational triangle Download a short booklet on testing your call for ordained ministry

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