Ministry of the Baptized

 

According to the Catechism of the Episcopal Church, the ministers of the church are all those who have been baptized with water in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Those ministers exist in four distinct “orders,” each with specific callings and responsibility for the work of God in the world. Those four orders are: lay persons, bishops, priests, and deacons.

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What is the ministry of the laity?

The ministry of lay persons is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ's work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church.

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Thus, the first and most important avenue of ministry for any baptized Christian is their daily life and work. What they do and say in their homes, at the work, and in their leisure. In addition to that, God calls each baptized Christian to take his or her place in the life, worship, and governance of the Church. At St. John’s that finds its expression in several ways. Use the menu to find out more about the ministries of our parish and consider the one to which one you feel called.

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You can also find out more about how your ministry as a baptized Christian can be explored and sustained through the Commission on Ministry of our Diocese.