The Vocation Generation

When I was in my late twenties and exploring whether God was calling me to Reader ministry, it seemed as though most people who were doing the same were five to ten years older than me. I've just finished a Reader vocations report for the Diocese and it's been fascinating to discover the ages of those who have been selected for this ministry in recent years.

Fifteen years after my initial explorations, the startling fact is that most candidates for Reader ministry are in their late forties and fifties. In other words, they're still up to five years older than me. This suggests that the Church is still attracting enquiries for ministry from broadly the same group of people.

Now it may be that those born between 1955 and 1965 are an especially gifted group of people but I have my doubts. Why is it that we rarely see people offering for ministry below the age of 35? I've had several conversations with young people in our own church in recent months and I'm struck by the fact that they've hardly thought about becoming a minister in God's church.

Let's see if we can encourage more younger people to ask whether God is calling them to ordained or lay ministry.