Ministerial Identity & Vocation
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MINISTERIAL IDENTITY & VOCATION Fall 2019 Maureen-Elizabeth Hagen Overview: Discerning one’s ministerial identity occurs over a lifetime. All People of God are called at Baptism to lead lives of meaning and purpose. Lifelong formation enables us to live out fully our Baptismal Covenant, to become disciples. Through discerning our spiritual gifts, we pursue different ministries such as administration, community organizing, hospitality, liturgy, pastoral care, preaching. Some are called to pursue ordained ministry, which is servant leadership. We discern in community and our calls may change. This class combines a teaching element, as well as conversations with people representing the orders of ministry—laity, deacons, priests, and bishops. They will speak to the reality of ministry and ministerial identity in the present context (the Pacific Northwest, rapidly changing culture and forms of church both disappearing and emerging). The emphasis will be on voicing aloud questions arising from the students’ own experience as people in ministry and from the reflections and situations presented by reading, class presentations, and guest voices. Format: An initial session on baptismal ecclesiology will be followed by three sessions devoted to ordained orders of ministry: episcopal, presbyteral, diaconal. The final session considers bivocationality, a growing reality for the life of the Church, and its implications for congregations. Students are expected to engage in informed conversation with guest presenters about the charisms, concerns, impressions about ministry in each order—theology, spirituality, and praxis. The following questions are offered to help spark and inform conversation: a) (All) Where do you see “death and resurrection” in your ministry? What is dying, what is coming to new life in your community, your understanding of your ministry? b) (All) How is your ministry an expression of the Baptismal Covenant? c) (All) What is your understanding of the mission of Christ in the world? How has that understanding changed for you, changed for the church around you? d) (All) What is it to see with the eye of a) a baptized layperson, b) a deacon, c) a priest, d) a bishop to engage in ministry as a layperson, deacon, priest, bishop? Is there an “essential identity” to your calling and ministry and what is it? How does your calling not only acknowledge, but affirm the equality of all others? e) (All) Is there an “incident”—an encounter, a program, a crisis, or other experience—that expresses or illustrates aspects of one or more of these questions? f) (Diaconate) What is your understanding of the “diaconal hermeneutic” and how does that understanding inform/transform your ministry (or does it)? g) (Presbyterate) As priesthood continues to evolve, what do you consider essential to retain? Where would you like to see some change? h) (Bivocational) What does bivocationality look like for you and for your congregation? Requirements: a) participation in all sessions, preferably in person, but via Zoom b) reading no fewer than books in three different orders/faces of ministry c) monthly short reflections (2-3 pages) sent to Maureen Hagen on the Friday following class (these assignments appear in the syllabus) d) a synthesis project (described on page 3) Grading Rubric: • An “A” grade reflects the highest quality of work: a sophisticated understanding of the subject matter, an excellent ability to integrate and analyze the materials, full preparation and participation for class, insightful contributions to the discussion. • A “B” grade reflects high quality of work: very good understanding of the subject matter, a consistent ability to integrate and analyze the materials, full preparation and participation for class, good contributions to the discussions. • A “C” grade reflects a sufficient quality of work: a competent understanding of the subject matter, an adequate ability to understand the material, full preparation and participation for class, mixed level of contributions to the discussions. • A “D” grade reflects an insufficient quality of work: a less-than-competent understanding of the subject matter, an less-than-adequate ability to understand the material, less-than-full preparation and participation for class, irrelevant and/or distracting contributions to the discussions. • An “F” grade reflects insufficiency of effort. • Students may opt for Pass (grades A-C)/No Pass (grades D-E). • An “Incomplete” will be given to all students who do not turn grades in by the deadline. • An “Audit” will be given to any student who wishes to participate fully in class (including readings), but does not want to do the written assignments. (No Academy credit given.) Many thanks to the dozens of colleagues who responded to my requests for books and articles that they found useful for the understanding of their order of ministry and discernment. They included laypeople, deacons, priests, and bishops, both scholars and practitioners from several dioceses in The Episcopal Church. The readings listed in these pages are just a small number of invaluable resources you will add to your to-be-read list. SYNTHESIS PROJECT due 24 January 2020 You have many options to fill this project which will demonstrate that you have fully integrated what you have learned in this class. Ideally, you will produce a product that will become part of your portfolio, which will become part of your toolbox for ministry. Your project needs to demonstrate understanding of classes and readings and the ability to apply them to ministry. Option #1 You have been asked to preach at your home or field-education parish at the baptism of an adult member of your congregation. You will write (and deliver) a 5-8 minute homily. Use the propers from Baptism of Our Lord, Easter Vigil, Pentecost, All Saints. Tie the sermon into ministry and calling. Send a video of your homily (you can use an iPhone and upload it to YouTube) and include the script. Option #2 Your rector has asked you to lead a 45-minute adult formation class on one of the orders of ministry. Provide an outline of your time together. Make sure it covers the most important aspects and also goes deep. Avoid a lecture. Be creative! Option #3 Meet with 3-4 people who are leaders in their area of ministry (lay leader, deacon, priest). Discuss with them their understanding of baptism, their call to leadership, the joy and challenges they face in ministry, etc. Summarize these and then reflect on how these people have affected your understanding of their order. 5-7 pages. Option #4 Perhaps some other idea has come to mind during the semester. Please talk with me about how you might proceed. Due dates October 11: preliminary ideas November 1: short blurb, readings December 6: thesis statement, outline January 10: 2-minute sharing with class January 28: final project due BAPTISM & CALLING September 20: Baptismal Ecclesiology & Vocation Vocation is the place where our deep gladness meets the world’s deep need. -- Frederick Buechner Holy Baptism is full initiation by water and the Holy Spirit into Christ’s Body the Church. The bond which God establishes in Baptism is indissoluble. BCP, p. 298 Q. Who are the ministers of the Church? A. The ministers of the Church are lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons. Book of Common Prayer Required reading (before September 20): The Baptismal Covenant and Prayers for the Candidates, Book of Common Prayer 304-306 and Suzanne Farnham et al., Listening Hearts: Discerning Call in Community. Revised Edition (2002) or Parker Palmer, Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. (2000) or Kathleen Cahalan, The Stories We Live: Finding God’s Calling All around Us. (2017) Required reflection (by September 27): Integrating your previous experience of the episcopacy, the presentation, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the episcopacy? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you? How will this affect your evaluation of the bishop candidates we will meet in the spring? Suggested readings: Thomas Merton, New Seeds of Contemplation (1949) Rowan Williams, Being Disciples: Essentials of the Christian Life (2016) THE EPISCOPACY OF ALL BELIEVERS & THE EPISCOPATE October 11: Episcopal ministry (special guest: The Rt. Rev. Michael J. Hanley, D.Min.) Q. What is the ministry of a bishop? A. The ministry of a bishop is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as apostle, chief priest, and pastor of a diocese; to guard the faith, unity, and discipline of the whole Church; to proclaim the Word of God; to act in Christ’s name for the reconciliation of the world and the building up of the Church; and to ordain others to continue Christ’s ministry. Required reading (by 10/11): The Ordination of a Bishop, Book of Common Prayer Articles to be assigned and sent out via email. Annotated Bibliography on the Episcopate by The Rev. Helen Svoboda-Barber. Suggested reading: William H. Willimon, Bishop: The Art of Questioning Authority by an Authority in Question (2012) Required reflection (by 10/18) Integrating your previous experience of the episcopacy, the presentation, and your readings, what do you understand to be the central aspects and charisms of the episcopacy? What inspires you? What challenges you? What surprises you? How will this affect your evaluation of the bishop candidates we will meet in the spring? DIAKONIA & THE DIACONATE November 1: Diaconal ministry Q. What is the ministry of a deacon? A. The ministry of a deacon is to represent Christ and his Church, particularly as a servant of those in need; and to assist bishops and priests in the proclamation of the Gospel and the administration of the sacraments. Book of Common Prayer Assignments Required reading (by 11/1): The Ordination of a Deacon, Book of Common Prayer Thomas E. Breidenthal, “Exodus from Privilege: Reflections on the Diaconate in Acts.” Anglican Theological Review 95, 2 (2013): 275-292.