A Minister's Call, Our Call
From the Statement of Ministry from the United Church of Canada
While all members share in Christ’s ministry, the church from its earliest days has recognized that God calls some to exercise specific gifts of leadership, both paid and voluntary. These ministries of leadership are based in God’s call and therefore serve to remind the community to whom we belong.
The capacity to respond to God’s call is tested by the community and is therefore a reminder that these ministries belong to the body of Christ. All forms of leadership in the church are therefore accountable to the community of faith. These various forms of leadership in the church can be expressed in the following ancient expressions given current meaning:
• enlivening worship and celebrating the sacraments (leitourgia)
• interpreting and passing on Christian tradition (kerygma)
• responding to the needs of the community and the world (diakonia)
• nurturing faith, making the wisdom of the ages relevant for today (didache)
• building up the community of faith as the beloved community of God (koinonia)
• embodying the presence of Christ in the world (marturia)
“In the church, some are called to specific ministries of leadership, both lay and ordered; some witness to the good news; some uphold the art of worship; some comfort the grieving and guide the wandering; some build up the community of wisdom; some stand with the oppressed and work for justice.”
Funding for the UCC theological colleges comes from Mission and Service. Here below are a collection of videos created by UCC: the value of a theological education, why God's world needs new leaders, and four short videos on individual ministers' call experiences - including the legendary Rev. Lois Wilson, the first female moderator for the United Church of Canada, and the current Distinguished Minister in Residence at Emmanuel College, Toronto at University of Toronto.
Rev. Jason Meyers, who now serves at Metropolitan United Church in Toronto visited with our congregations after his graduation in the spring of 2019. After his graduation, he hiked for two weeks on the Bruce Trail, spending time in contemplation and reflection before he began his ministry. Here below is the Benediction that was written for him when he came to our Sunday services to share his adventure with us.
It was written specifically for Jason, but it is for all the rest of us too.
Rise from your slumber each morning with devotion to the goodness and possibility of the day - even before you are fully awake - rise to offer a blessing for the adventure before you, a hopeful prayer on your lips for all.
Rise each morning in gratitude for the many gifts you have received, gifts of family, of friends, of health, of education, of intellect.
And resist offering those gifts to anything other than the service of others and the collective wisdom of the ages, which you are privileged to serve.
Rise knowing grace has been gifted to you each day, a new day full of mercy and new possibility.
And resist everything that does not embellish that same grace and offer it freely to all people in all situations.
And if those mornings come - and they may - either from your own waywardness, or weariness from some great battle you are fighting that no one else can see, when getting out of bed feels an impossible task, and the day seems to stretch out before you as a mud and blood filled battlefield, rise anyway, if only to resist the temptation to give up and give in.
My child, rise and resist all manner of inner turmoil to see the delight and beauty in the day. For God is as near as your breath, and as loving as the perfect mother and patient as the wisest father - there to hold you and keep you and direct your ways.
May grace continue to abide, and may we all, know the warmth and tenderness of its gift.