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Useful resource: The Great Vocations Conversation

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Useful resource: The Great Vocations Conversation

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It is God who calls: there can be no question of that. But experience shows that while some church communities have a culture of vocation, others do not.

The Great Vocations Conversation seeks to encourage vocations across the whole of the Church of England. It challenges lay and ordained ministers to have one conversation a month with another person that will help them think about their vocation.

This guide offers 12 monthly encouragements to anyone who wants to take the challenge, covering topics such as seeing as God sees, passing on the baton, taking risks, and getting it wrong.

Each month contains a biblical reflection, a vocational story, questions to consider, prayer resources and space for notes.

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a year of inspiration and challenge for ministers

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The Great Vocations Conversation A year of inspiration and challenge for ministers by Andrew Watson, Magdalen Smith - Paperback - 9781781400951

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Buy The Great Vocations Conversation A year of inspiration and challenge for ministers by Andrew Watson, Magdalen Smith Paperback from Church House Publishing - ISBN: 9781781400951

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Tips on how to begin a conversation about vocations.

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A suite of resources and support for developing missional discipleship as a way of life

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Holy Habits | Missional discipleship as a way of life

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Holy Habits is a way of life for those exploring or already actively living out the call of Jesus to 'follow me'.

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A monthly devotional to help explore calling

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A monthly devotional to help explore calling

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Explore the SHAPE Course - your shape for God's service

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Explore the SHAPE Course - your shape for God's service

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All Are Called - resource for exploring your vocation

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All Are Called - resource for exploring your vocation

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Living our Gifts - resource for small groups

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Living our Gifts - resource for small groups

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Living Vocation - a workbook to help you explore what it means to live life in response to God's call

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Living Vocation - a workbook to help you explore what it means to live life in response to God's call

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Our mission is to be a Christian presence in every community.

God calls people to a wide range of ministries, lay and ordained, in our church and in our everyday lives. Youth and children's ministers, evangelists, missionaries, Readers, pioneers, and community workers are generally lay ministers, though some may be ordained.

Some roles are the same across the whole church, like Readers, deacons and priests. There also some lay roles which vary by diocese, so have a look at your diocesan website to find out what's local to you.

Scroll down to explore further or contact your vicar or diocese to begin the process of discerning what God might be calling you to. If you are disabled or have concerns about a cognitive or physical condition that may affect your discernment or training please contact your Diocesan Disability Advisor. And if you are from UKME/Global majority heritage you may want to contact your Diocesan Minority Ethnic Champion.

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Our mission is to be a Christian presence in every community. God calls people to a wide range of ministries, lay and ordained, in our church and in our everyday lives. Youth and children's ministers, evangelists, missionaries, Readers, pioneers, and community workers are generally lay ministers, though some may be ordained.

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A five-session course exploring how we can be Good News for God's World

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A five-session course exploring how we can be Good News for God's World

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Why not experiment with some different ways of praying? For example:

Common Worship Daily Prayer, from the book, online, podcast or app: https://www.churchofengland.org/prayer-and-worship/join-us-service-daily-prayer/daily-prayer-app-and-podcast

Northumbrian Daily Prayer: https://www.northumbriacommunity.org/offices/how-to-use-daily-office/

Praying the Jesus Prayer: https://orthodoxprayer.org/Jesus%20Prayer.html

Praying the Psalms: for example, using the psalm set for the day, read through it first to understand it, then pray it verse by verse as your own prayer.  Linger over the bits that stand out; elaborate on phrases about which you have more to say.  For example, if you were praying Psalm 23 which begins “The Lord is my shepherd”, you might pause after that phrase to think about what this means, the ways in which God has this role in your life, to thank God for the care and guidance provided or to pray for those who do not understand God in this way.

Prayer Beads: for example, https://www.lutheranprayerbeads.com/pearlsoflife or https://ourvillagechurch.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Introduction-to-Anglican-Prayer-Beads-WWH.pdf

Prayerfully reviewing the day (the Examen): http://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-examen/how-can-i-pray/

Praying with the imagination: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-spiritual-exercises/pray-with-your-imagination/

Praying with art: https://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/2009/07/praying-with-art-visio-divina

Praying with music: https://www.patheos.com/resources/additional-resources/2000/01/pray-with-music-audio-divina

Praying with Scripture: https://www.ignatianspirituality.com/ignatian-prayer/the-what-how-why-of-prayer/praying-with-scripture/

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Downloadable resources for individuals and small groups - from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

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Downloadable resources for individuals and small groups - from the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

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Here you will find a range of resources - Bible studies and themed material - to help you to explore and deepen your faith.

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Picture by Philip King

Living Faith

Living Faith is a series of resources to de velop confident Christian faith. It includes material for individuals and small groups, written in a variety of styles and suitable for different settings. Some of the resources are designed for those who are new to the faith, whilst others are suitable for different stages of the faith journey.
Downloadable Courses
Click on the links below to download a PDF for each course. These resources may be reproduced by local churches as part of group or individual studies.

A five-session course for groups and individuals of any age who want to explore how to live a full life in older years

A five session course for groups giving people the opportunity to explore their gifts, talents, passions and skills and how these can be used in living a full life in the worship of God.

Living themes in the Old Testament
A five session course looking at some of the key themes in the Old Testament

For further information

To discuss these couses please email Lesley Steed.

Other learning opportunities

Explore with Alpha | Weblink

Our events and training programme | Weblink

Spiritual direction | Weblink

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Discipleship resources - Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich

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Picture by Philip King Living Faith is a series of resources to develop confident Christian faith. It includes material for individuals and small groups, written in a variety of styles and suitable for different settings. Some of the resources are designed for those who are new to the faith, whilst others are suitable for different stages of the faith journey.

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Searchable resources and courses to equip you in your faith - from the Diocese of Coventry

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Searchable resources and courses to equip you in your faith - from the Diocese of Coventry

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Kingdom Calling - a useful exploration of vocation, ministry and discipleship

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Kingdom Calling - a useful exploration of vocation, ministry and discipleship

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An exploration of some possible directions of call

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An exploration of some possible directions of call

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Hymn suggestions for Vocations Sunday (Easter 4)

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Could you be a Self-Supporting Ordained Minister?

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Could you be a Self-Supporting Ordained Minister?

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Could you be a Ministry Experience Scheme participant?

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Could you be a Ministry Experience Scheme participant?

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https://www.stalbansdiocese.org/ministry/called-to-serve/ministry-experience-schemes/

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If you are aged 18-30 we would love to give you the opportunity to join the St Albans Ministry Experience Scheme (part of the national church’s Ministry Experience Scheme); a year to explore who you are called to be and discover what you might be called to do. Through the year you will be serving […]

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Vocations Sunday liturgy 2026 - Holy Communion

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Vocations Sunday liturgy 2026 - Service of the Word