Commission on Ministry
The Commission on Ministry (COM) assists the Bishop in the discernment, development and formation of ministry vocations. This includes not only ordained vocations but the ministry of all the baptized. We believe that it is important for all the people of God to engage in serious discernment and ministry formation. It is true, however, that much of the Commission on Ministry’s work deals with the discernment and guiding of persons seeking vocations in the Order of Deacons or the Order of Priests.
The work of the COM is holy, thoughtful, spirit-filled work. As such, the process of discernment to holy orders in the Episcopal Church isn’t rushed. It can take several years, and sometimes more, before paths truly unfold.
Embracing of Ordered Ministry
All Christians are called to ministry: to follow Christ, to come together for corporate worship, and to work, pray and give for the spread of the kingdom of God.
Deacons and Priests exercise ordered ministry – their ministry is carried out in obedience to the leadership and pastoral direction of their Bishop, and in communion with the whole church. All things being equal, those called to lay ministry hold greater freedom in their day-to-day ministry than priests or deacons.
Those called to be ordained should be prepared to make their ordination vows knowing that in so doing, they will be surrendering some of the freedom of lay ministry to live within the ordered ministries of the church. They should be able to vow to “conform to the doctrine, discipline and worship of The Episcopal Church” with full intent to uphold those vows even (and especially) when the church may disappoint them or challenge them, or direct their ministry to places they may not have imagined.
The Order of Deacons
While the Book of Common Prayer reminds us that deacons are called to “a special ministry of servanthood directly under your bishop [serving] all people, particularly the poor, the weak, the sick, and the lonely,” we understand that this will be shaped by both the gifts of the deacon and the context in which they live, work, and serve. The ministry of a deacon is wide and variable, and no single list of qualities will be comprehensive across the width and breadth of the Church. Knowing that seekers come to discernment at varying stages of life, we fully anticipate that in a younger candidate these qualities may be in “seed” form. In a more mature person, we would anticipate these qualities should also be more mature. Charisms of the Deacon often are exhibited in the deacon’s nature of being i.e. “It’s just who they are”. Deacons naturally exhibit behavior and charisms that portray the servant ministry of Jesus. Overall, these are some qualities which are often found by the members of this ancient order of ministry.
While these are not comprehensive, these are some of the qualities which a person seeking the diaconate will embody:
- A commitment and desire to follow Jesus
- Passionate Leadership
- Deep spirituality and prayer life
- Passionate storytelling
- An emotional maturity and self-awareness
The Order of Priests
People called to be priests have a call to represent Christ and Christ’s Church, particularly as a pastor to the people, and call forth the priesthood of all believers through the ministry of word and sacrament. In addition to the qualities we seek in all ordinands, we believe priests should have:
- A passion for souls
- A passion for sacramental ministry
- An ability to organize and convene
- Collaborative leadership and decision-making skills
- Resilience, Courage, and Flexibility
- Abilities to teach, mentor, and guide others in the life of discipleship
The Discernment Process
Discernment is…
- offering our longings to God to discover God’s longings for us
- a shared sacred journey containing multiple good paths without a clear destination at the outset
- the gentle and sometimes surprising unfolding of known and unknown gifts, a blessing that changes everyone involved, both during and after the journey
For those exploring is they are being called into ordained ministry, the process follows a somewhat structured path with lots of room for prayer and the movement of the Holy Spirit.
The first step is for the individual to meet with his or her priest (Rector, priest in charge, or vicar). For those at a congregation without a priest, they should call the diocesan office, so that a sponsoring priest can be identified.
Should the initial meeting(s) with a sponsoring priest result in a decision to continue forward, the sponsoring priest and the individual meet with the Bishop for conversation and initial continued discernment.
Should this meeting result in a decision to continue forward, the Bishop gives the individual’s name and information to the Commission on Ministry. The COM then calls a Vocational Discernment team to convene a deeper discernment session.
The Vocational Discernment Team is a group of individuals trained in the discernment process dedicated to walking alongside individuals who believe they are being called by God to ordained ministry. Their role is to support, guide, and help these individuals discern how God is calling them to serve. This process is deeply rooted in prayer, reflection, and honest conversation, and it is essential for the health and vitality of our church’s mission.
This discernment team consists of two members of the VDT, and one member of the individual’s church, appointed by the sponsoring priest. This discernment committee will walk with the individual to help discern God’s call through discussions, prayer and guidance of the Hoy Spirit. In each case, the central questions are: In what way is God calling this person to ministry? What potential can be seen?
Once these gatherings are concluded the discernment team members write a final report of the committee offering one of three possible directions:
- Consider an application of postulancy to the order to which they feel called (if affirmed by the committee)
- Seek further discernment regarding lay or ordained ministry, or
- Celebration the confirmation of a call to ministry as a lay person.
Should these meetings result in a move to consider an application for postulancy, the aspirant then applies and the process moves to a meeting with the Commission on Ministry.
The following graph provides an overview of the entire discernment process for ordination.
Commission on Ministry Members
The Commission on Ministry is made up of both lay (members in good standing) and ordained individuals from the Diocese of Spokane. Each member serves a three-year term, with three members rotating on/off each year. Members are appointed by the Bishop and confirmed during the annual convention in October.
Chair – The Rev. Kathy Lamphere
Vice-Chair – The Very Rev. Heather VanDeventer
Term Expires 2026
Kristin Keyes
The Rev. Chris Hagenbuch
James Rosenzweig
Term Expires 2027
James DeDeaux
Margaret Drumm
The Rev. Kathy Lamphere
Term Expires 2028
The Rev. Kimmy Meineke
Taylor Mather
The Very Rev. Heather VanDeventer
Ex Officio Members
The Rev. Cn Susan Cleveley
The Rt. Rev. Gretchen Rehberg