But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1
I wonder how you would answer the question: who is called by God?
Maybe you think of the biblical stories where God calls people to be prophets, priests or kings. Maybe some of the heroes of faith throughout the history of the church. Maybe you think about someone who has been key in your own journey of faith. I wonder if you ever think it is me? Every Christian believer has a calling from God throughout their life.
The word vocation literally means calling and we all have different callings that God places upon our lives:
We have a calling within the family that God has placed us to be children, spouses or parents or aunts or uncles.
We may have a calling in a professional sphere, where God calls us to live out our faith in the work we do.
We have a calling in the things we are passionate about and in the communities that form around those passions, like in sports teams or with a hobby.
We have a calling to be part of a Church family, sharing and serving together to love each other with God’s love and to bring God’s love and Good News into the communities where we live. We may be called to lead in our churches, to allow different ministries to grow and flourish.
I wonder when was the last time you reflected on what is my calling from God?
The Vocations team in Sheffield Diocese want to help and support vocations across the Diocese. Over the next year, we are hoping to produce some resources which will enable all our churches to help all of us hear the ways in which God is calling us already, but may also be calling us in the future.
On this page, you can find resourcesfor your church to help you think and encourage your whole church to think about their calling.
You can have a conversation with your local minister about ways in which you may be called to serve in your local church.
You can find out more about the different ministries that people undertake within Sheffield Diocese and how you can consider if that is what God is calling you too.
You can connect with the vocations team who can support you in hearing what God is calling you to.
You can find out about ordained ministry and how we support those who are discerning a call ‘to be a vicar’.
Barriers to hearing the call
Throughout the Bible we hear stories of people thinking “but it can’t be me.” It is amazing how God often calls those who feel like there are too many barriers. The Vocations Team love to listen to people to hear their story and together listen to where God might be leading them next.
Approaching someone for the first time to say I had heard God calling me to ordination was one of the hardest and biggest steps of my life. Our DDO was reassuring, very kind and supportive. I was guided throughout the whole process at just the right pace with the support and contact required from the diocese.
If you are reading this wondering if you should speak to someone about your own calling then maybe it is time for you to talk?
Revd Kirsty Massey, Self Supporting Assistant Curate, St. John’s Owlerton
Vocations Sunday
Details of one Sunday in the year when the Church of England focusses on vocations
