Dio. of Washington—Process for Discernment about ordained ministry Temporarily Halted

Posted by Kendall Harmon

First, you can find the diocesan announcement here.

Then you may read the whole letter about it from the Bishop here. It includes the following:
Given the number of relatively healthy congregations and the appeal of our location, the Diocese of Washington has far more people interested in pursuing ordination than can reasonably hope to find employment in the Church. There are currently almost 30 people in the ordination process, a number that well surpasses the diocese’s current need for clergy for traditional parish positions. In addition, there is a significant number of unemployed and underemployed priests in the diocese who are seeking to be called to stipendiary ministries.

A Roman Catholic colleague once asked me if the Episcopal Church was also experiencing a clergy shortage. “No,” I said. “What we have is a shortage of lay people.” The work before us is to rebuild our congregations into the vital centers of Christian community, discipleship formation, and mission that Christ needs us to be. The ordination process, as with all other aspects of our diocesan life, is ultimately in service to that work.


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4 Comments
Posted February 27, 2012 at 4:00 pm [Printer Friendly] [Print w/ comments]



1. stjohnsrector wrote:

ECUSA has an interesting combinations of parishes that can’t afford full time clergy because they are too small or clergy cost (salaries, pension, benefits) are too high AND clergy that parishes don’t want because they are theologically unsound or have personalities that won’t attract people to the parish.

February 27, 9:04 pm | [comment link]
2. David Hein wrote:

As one wag put it some years back, at this rate TEC will truly see “the priesthood of all believers” by 2030 or so.

February 27, 9:50 pm | [comment link]
3. Archer_of_the_Forest wrote:

Any of these folks are welcome to come apply for ordination out here in South Dakota. We have several vacancies.

February 27, 10:58 pm | [comment link]
4. pendennis88 wrote:

Dupont Circle, Glad Valley - two sides of the same coin.

February 28, 11:34 am | [comment link]
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