"Do not say, 'I am too young'. You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you”, declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 1:7-8)
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We are all called to serve
Being young is not an obstacle when exploring vocations; young people bring many gifts and talents to the church. We rejoice in God’s call on younger people to serve him in many different ways, in our churches, worshipping communities and in the world. For some, that call (or vocation) is a specific calling to licensed or ordained ministry. For others, it could mean serving God through faithful discipleship in everyday life.
Everyone has a vocation, and we can support you in finding yours.
This page contains advice and information for those who are younger (aged 18-32), exploring vocations in ministry. Below you will find videos of clergy in Chelmsford Diocese sharing their own young vocations stories to inspire you.
Exploring vocations
Some are called to:
Lay Licensed Ministry: a calling to ‘shine as a light in the world’ and to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Lay ministry takes many forms, such as Licensed Lay Minister, Authorised Local Preacher, Authorised Pastoral Assistant or Spiritual Companion.
Click on the ‘+’ below to discover the signs that God may be calling you to lay ministry.
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Nudges towards lay ministry
- You are feeling a nudge to do more, or do something new.
- You want to contribute to the life and mission of your church (and those locally!), on a Sunday and/or during the week.
- You are passionate about a particular people group e.g. younger, older, those of other faiths (and more!).
- You write sermons in your head, or on paper, or you’d like to have a go!
- You have a listening ear, and others come to you with things they’re worried about.
- You can imagine what it could be like to be a public representative of the Church.
The link below contains advice and information for those who would like to find out more about lay ministry.
Ordained Ministry:Ordained ministers can be Vicars, Chaplains, Ministers in Secular Employment, and more - a life-long vocation to serve God and God’s people and reflecting God’s love to others indiscriminately.
Click on the ‘+’ below to discover the signs that God may be calling you to ordianed ministry.
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Nudges towards ordained ministry
- Other people (you trust) recognise or have commended ordination to you.
- It’s realistic – you can see how it might work either now or in the future.
- You can imagine what it could be like to be a public representative of the Church.
- You love challenges and is making a positive difference in the life of people.
- The idea may sound mad at times, but it just keeps coming back.
- You want to share your faith with others.
The link below contains advice and information for those who feel called to ordained ministry.
Called to serve: Young Vocations Stories
Watch clergy from across our Diocese share their young vocation stories in our 'Called to Serve: Young Vocations' video series.
The Revd Will Rose-Moore from Loughton, St John the Baptist
The Revd Sharon Ejinkonye from Grays Team Ministry
The Venerable Kate Peacock, the Archdeacon of Stansted
Resources to promote young vocations for churches
We are working to encourage young people to explore their sense of calling and vocation. If you would like to support us in this, we are working a range of resources for parishes to help promote young vocations in churches and worshipping communities across Chelmsford Diocese. These resources will be added to this page in due course.
Are you ready to take the next step in your vocations journey?
Complete the form below
If you are aged 18-32 and feel God might be calling you to ordained ministry, please complete the form below, and we will help you explore this further. A member of our Vocations Team will be in touch for an informal chat to answer any questions you may have and explain what the possible next steps are.
If you have any questions, check our frequently asked questions page linked below or contact a member of our Vocations Team.
You can also follow our Instagram page for vocations in the Diocese of Chelmsford - @ChelmsDioVocations. This page will share news, resources, information and stories about Vocations across our diocese.
