Dear Brother or Sister in Christ, 

It is a privilege to pastor you as you discern a calling into ordained ministry. As Paul says, the desire to be in ministry is a good thing. You care for the Lord, his people, the Good News of his Kingdom, and ministry to the poor and lost. Praise God! 

I invite you to consider the following pastoral guidance. This letter flows from conversations I’ve had with other leaders at Restoration and clergy throughout our diocese. I offer these words as caution, encouragement, and guidance for those considering Holy Orders in the Anglican Church of North America. May this be a blessing to you.

Anglican Ordination

All baptized People of God are gifted by the Holy Spirit to serve Christ and his Church in unique and essential ministries. At Restoration, non-ordained members can preach, teach, lead worship, develop ministries, join the staff, become ministry residents, serve as missionaries, join monastic communities, and much more. Restoration would cease to be a healthy congregation without the creative, brilliant, vibrant, and diverse ministries of the People of God. In addition to these robust expressions of ministry, the Scriptures teach that some are set apart as Bishops, Priests, and Deacons. The ordering of pastoral leadership requires a particular type of discernment.

Ordination occurs at the intersection of a person’s calling, the needs of the parish, and the purposes of the global Church. Ordination is not earned on account of experience, degrees, or reputation. Nor is it a reward for completing a program or project. Rather, entrance into Holy Orders is prayerfully discerned by the individual, the local People of God, and existing clergy.

Part of a Diocese

Restoration is part of the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains (DRM). Therefore, if one feels drawn towards ordination in our context, it is to an ordination that supports Restoration's and our diocese's distinct mission, location, doctrine, and values. To see how various ordained men and women live out their diverse callings, I encourage you to explore our churches.

We practice, “early leadership, late ordination.” This means that over the span of several years, in addition to rigorous study, examination, and personal discipleship, we want to see candidates grow mature skills in ministry. This includes shepherding other believers, taking ministry initiative, growing fruitful ministries, and developing leaders. Rather than ordaining an individual early in hopes of eventually producing fruitful ministry, we ordain those whose vibrant ministries are already bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. For example, children’s directors have often raised classroom leaders, created a celebrated curriculum, and served for a few years before being ordained to the diaconate. Prayer leaders have nurtured robust ministries of prayer and healing both inside and outside the church before being ordained to the diaconate. Church planters —including myself— cast a vision, trained a launch team, conducted several preview worship services (with reserved sacrament), and raised funds before being ordained to the priesthood.

Not only does “early leadership, late ordination” create space for careful discernment, but it also honors and bolsters the wider ministry of the People of God.

We also “ordain today for today’s work.” That is, we only ordain someone for a particular area of ministry —a specific, articulated work into which they are ready to step.

Visit DRM’s Clergy Formation page to learn more about the process.

Realities of Ordination

There are a few other reality checks that ought to be considered. 

• Employment: Ordination does not automatically lead to employment either at Restoration or another Anglican church. However, as stated above, ministry opportunities do abound. If you desire employment at a church, staff positions regularly become available as ministries grow and churches are planted.

• Timeline: Because of the arduous discernment process, it is not uncommon for someone to be ordained until their mid-thirties or later.

• Geography: At Restoration, we prefer to ordain individuals who foresee themselves rooted in our area for many years to come.

• Testing: Candidates will need to complete theological, historical, marital, physical, and psychological exams. You will be asked hard questions. Clergy are far from perfect. However, we want the discernment process to reveal opportunities for the Holy Spirit to heal and equip you for long-term ministry resilience. Learn More →

• Doctrine: Candidates must enthusiastically uphold the theological beliefs of our province and diocese and every item in the Jerusalem Declaration. 

• Participation: All clergy are expected to attend annual diocesan events, such as Synod in February. The obligations of clergy extend beyond the local parish and into the Diocese.

What’s next?

Let’s find a time to talk and pray about how the Lord might lead you down this journey. I can also share a typical timeline for the different discernment stages. In the meantime…

Serve the Church. Practice hospitality. Love the poor. Pray for the fruit of the Spirit. 

Anglican Confirmation is open to all and a prerequisite for ordination, so if you have not already been confirmed in the ACNA, seek that out.

I recommend reading a few resources. Read through the Ordination Services in the 2019 Book of Common Prayer. As you’ve probably heard, the best way to know what Anglicans believe is by listening to our prayers. The 2019 Book of Common Prayer’s ordination liturgy gives a beautiful portrait of the meaning of ordination (p. 470). It’s not a bad idea to get started on our diocese’s required reading list (p. 3). Other materials to read might be St. Gregory’s Book of Pastoral Rule, Ramsey’s Christian Priest Today, Nouwen’s In the Name of Jesus, and Peterson’s The Pastor.

Again, brother or sister in Christ, thank you for entrusting me to pastor you as you discern this calling. These are exciting days for ministry. The harvest is plentiful, but workers are few. May you be stirred into greater love for Christ, his Church, and the world as you seek his will for your life!

Yours in Christ,
Father Rick
On behalf of the Diocese of the Rocky Mountains