Discerning Your Vocation
Welcome to the Discernment pages of the Diocese of Rhode Island! We are delighted to invite Episcopalians to explore the sacred journey of discerning a call to ordained ministry. Whether you feel drawn to serve as a priest or deacon, or are considering a path that will lead to more intentional lay ministry, we encourage you to embark on this process of shared discernment. Together, we will seek to understand God’s call in your life and how you can best serve our community. Join us in this transformative journey, where your unique gifts and passions can flourish in service to others.
+Nicholas
God calls us all in different ways. Here are some resources to help you discern where God might be calling you.
A vocation is a divine call (or strong desire) to spend your life doing a certain kind of work or lifestyle. While we tend to think of only clergy as having a vocation, all Christians can have a vocation. Your vocation may be the job you hold or the life you live as a family member or a passion you have to serve others. One of the places to begin your discernment is to talk with your priest, a spiritual director or someone with whom you share your spiritual journey.
In the Diocese of Rhode Island, those who are pursing a vocation in the ordained ministry are required to follow a path outlined by the Commission on Ministry.
For information about the path to Priesthood, start here.
For information about the path to the Diaconate, start here.
Your Personal Vocation
- Courses offered by Bexley-Seabury Seminary: Pathways for Baptismal Living
- Richard Nelson Bolles, How to Find Your Mission in Life
- Suzanne Farnham, et al Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community
- Parker J. Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation
- Sam Portaro, Transforming Vocation
- Religious Orders and Faith Communities
- Practicing Our Faith
Marriage and Family
- Linda Grenz and Delbert Glover, The Marriage Journey: Preparations and Provisions for Life Together
- Herbert Anderson and Susan Johnson, Regarding Children: A New Respect for Childhood and Families
- Helen Oppenheimer, Helping Children Find God: A Book for Parents, Teachers and Clergy
- Brett Webb – Mitchell, On Being a Gay Parent: Making a Future Together
- Roy G. Pollina, To Bless a Child
- Dwight Longenecker, Listen My Son: St. Benedict for Fathers
- Stanley Hauerwas, Go With God: An open letter to young Christians on their way to college
Spiritual Gifts Assessments
- Finding Your Spiritual Gifts Assessment (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
- Spiritual Gifts Test (United Methodist Church)