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Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. (Corinthians 12:4-7)

Vocation

Marcia Myers, Director

Learn more about the work of this office — download our brochure

From the director

The months of April and May are especially noteworthy for their wealth of holidays and holy days. 

April has already seen us journeying through Holy Week to the Resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday, the centerpiece of the Christian witness, which affords us precious glimpses of the risen Christ all year long.

May, too, gives us many reasons and opportunities to remember and to celebrate as we strive to live our lives according to God’s purpose, from Ascension Day through Pentecost.

May is the prime graduation month for hundreds of our PC(USA) seminarians.  They go forth – witnessing to the power of the risen Christ and to Christ’s Great Commission - seeking their first calls with all of the excitement and anxiety that produces. We are grateful for their service; for those who pack up and leave the familiarity and comfort of classroom and campus for new, unfamiliar communities and a new role as “pastor”; for those who enter service at a time when there is much ministry to be done, but few full time ministry positions to put food on the table and pay seminary debts.  We offer our prayers along with resources and support of the Office of Vocation.

One of those resources is the new Transformational Leadership Debt Assistance (TLDA) program, which was specifically designed to support risk-taking pastors of small, growing communities of faith to further the mission of Christ. TLDA also provides relief to pastors burdened with educational debt and complements the Board of Pension’s Seminary Debt Assistance program, seeking especially to serve applicants who are not eligible for that program.

May also finds many of our young people winding down or finishing up another school year, asking questions about what their summer – and their future – may hold. Through the Waters, a blog sponsored by our office of Christian Vocation, provides youth, young adults and their leaders with a unique opportunity to hear more about ways God is working in the lives of a variety of people as well as a place to listen and talk about events and occasions that give young people a chance to listen for what God may be saying at this point in life. To watch inspiring videos of young adults telling their faith stories or to watch a new video describing the impact of the Pathways program – which helps youth, adult youth workers, college-age young people  and collegiate ministry leaders explore God’s path for their lives – visit the Christian Vocation website in the coming weeks. Their powerful testimonies help us to know that we indeed an Easter people.                    

Finally, the annual observance of Memorial Day on May 28 is an occasion for us Presbyterians not only to remember those men and women who have died serving our country, but also to pray for those among us who serve faithfully as military chaplains, called to embody the hope and the healing power of the risen Christ in some of the world’s most perilous places.  Through our prayers and our gifts, together we can make a difference to those whose ministry touches so many.

Blessings in your ministry,                                                  

Marcia Clark Myers, director, Vocation

Get the new 2011-13 Advisory Handbook

In accord with the new Form of Government’s purpose to provide guidance for our common life, rather than be a regulatory manual, the Office of Vocation officers new editions of its “Advisory Handbooks”. They are designed for use by those who are called to presbytery ministry committees or commissions and those involved in preparation for ministry. They are available without charge as Downloadable documents. Continue reading

Advisory Handbook of Preparation for Ministry in the PC(USA)

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For Such a Time as This

A Small Church Pastoral Residency Program

For Such a Time as This is a program which seeks to pair small, under-served congregations with recent seminary graduates in a two-year pastoral residency relationship.   During the program, pastoral residents – who will be ordained to the ministry of the Word and Sacrament as Designated Pastors – will be supported and guided by a network of pastor/mentors, presbytery, seminary and national church leaders. Because isolation is frequently cited as a concern for pastors in such settings, residents will be placed in clusters of three to four residents for peer learning and support.  The residents will be Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) candidates for ministry who have completed their M.Div. degree and have been “certified ready to receive a call.” Keep reading

Six Agency Leadership Initiative

At the invitation of the six agencies of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 30 leaders from across the PC(USA) gathered in Dallas, Texas, on February 9-11, 2011, for a conversation about leadership for the church in the 21st century. Here are the fruits of their conversation.

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Raising Up Leaders for the Mission of God

A Report of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Joint Committee on Leadership Needs, February 2, 2010

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Snapshots of Presbyterian Leadership

Since we each have different gifts according to the grace God has given us, we each live out our call in different ways.  These stories offer but a glimpse of the diverse paths of leadership and service that are possible with God. Keep reading

Vocation ministry partners

Vocation Ministries

Comments

  • muchos saludos desde LIMA PERU DIOS LES BENDIGA GRANDEMENTE by BUENDIA on 04/13/2012 at 12:03 a.m.

  • Praise the Lord!!! by Travis Streeter on 10/10/2011 at 2:44 p.m.

  • Friends, if you have not already read the report of the Six-Agency Initiative Consultation-Information Item 248, I highly recommend it to you. Truly it is "a work of art" to which all church leaders must give their full attention. The characteristics for "effective leaders for the church in the 21st century" is of key importance. I wish to thank all participants in the Consultation process for your prayerful and collaborative efforts to develop this fine and most timely document. Now let us roll up our sleeves and get behind the intent of the Consultation to equip ourselves and others to meet the challenges before us as we continue our journey forward together, providing effective leadership to further the mission and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. by Jacquelin Lyman on 03/22/2011 at 5:54 p.m.

  • hi. i am a baptized and confirmed roman catholic that has been out of mainstream with the Church's Conservatism for sometime. i would definitely like to discuss a possible vocation in the presbyterian church. by john c heverly on 03/04/2011 at 4:38 p.m.

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