The Path to Ordained Ministry

The Diaconate

Deacons move between the Church and the world, serving all people, but especially the marginalized. They help empower faith communities to respond to the hopes, concerns, and needs of the community and world, encouraging healing through Christ’s redemptive love.

In the Rite of Ordination of a Deacon, postulants affirm that at all times, their life and teaching are to show Christ’s people that in serving the helpless they are serving Christ himself. (BCP 543)

Read the Qualities in Future Deacons >

The Priesthood

A priest is an ordained leader called to serve a community as pastor, worship leader, and teacher, and to take a share in the councils of the Church. A priest proclaims by word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ; cares alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor; preaches; declares God’s forgiveness; pronounces God’s blessing; and shares in the administration of the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Eucharist. (BCP 531)

Read about Qualities in Future Priests >

The Path of Discernment

The following steps outline the path of discernment for individuals discerning a call to ordained ministry.

Individuals experiencing a call to lay or ordained ministry may enter a time of more intentional discernment, asking how God might be calling them to serve. This is a time of learning to listen for God’s voice and to begin sharing about your life, ministry, and sense of call with your priest and if possible a spiritual director.

Steps in Individual Discerent

  1. Learn more about discernment. See bibliography for suggested reading.
  2. Meet regularly with your discernment priest, typically rector, for one year.
  3. Consider meeting with a spiritual director.

Exploring Your Vocation events are annual gatherings where members of various orders, the Diaconate, the Priesthood, and the Vowed Religious Life, will lead conversations about their ministry.

Attendance at an Exploring Your Vocation event is a mandatory part of the discernment process. Learn more >

Following regular meetings with the seeker, the priest may see the seeker moving forward to discernment in community, also known as congregational discernment. If so, the priest forms a discernment team, typically with members of the congregation. For more information see the section on this page titled Discernment Teams.

  1. Once the discernment team has been formed, the priest completes a Request for Discernment Team Orientation. The Office of the Bishop receives the form and finds a facilitator to lead the orientation. The convener of the discernment team schedules the orientation, taking into account the schedules of the seeker and discernment team members.
  2. The discernment team meets monthly with seeker over the course of 7-12 months.
  3. Congregational discernment may result in one of several paths: 1) discernment team’s recommendation to move forward in the Holy Orders process; 2) the seeker discerning a call to lay ministry; 3) the seeker discerning a call to continued discernment.
  4. The discernment team writes a letter to the priest communicating the outcome of congregational discernment.
  5. The priest shares summary of letter with the vestry or bishop’s committee.
  6. If the vestry/bishop’s committee decides to nominate the seeker for Holy Orders they complete a Nomination to Postulancy form (currently Form 1) [Should form indicate order?].
  7. The Bishop reviews the nomination and makes a decision on whether or not to approve the nomination and invite the applicant to BACOM.
    • If BACOM is already full for the year, the nominee is encouraged to engage in the life of the congregation in new ways as part of ongoing discernment and formation, and plan to attend the following year’s BACOM.
    • If BACOM is not full, the Office of the Bishop assists the nominee in completing the required paperwork in preparation for that year’s BACOM.

The following steps will help you prepare for the BACOM event. You will schedule a Zoom meeting with Executive Assistant Dianne Draper to go over these details and have the opportunity to ask questions.

  • All BACOM documents must be turned in to the Office of the Bishop two months before the BACOM Event. These documents should be emailed to Dianne Draper: dianne@episcopalcolorado.org
  • The BACOM Event happens annually for 2 1/2 days at Cathedral Ridge Camp and Retreat Center. The 2024 BACOM Event wil be held in November.  For 2025, the BACOM Event will take place in April 2025.
  • There is no cost to attend.
  • During your Zoom meeting with Dianne Draper, the BACOM event schedule will be shared.
  • The BACOM Team is made up of eight individuals, each with a particular focus. The team includes the Bishop, a medical doctor, a psychologist, a priest from the Commission on Ministry, a member of the Colorado Board of Examining Chaplains, a deacon, a spiritual director, and a financial person.
  • The BACOM Event includes a chaplain who provides the worship and pastoral support for all attendants.
  • After the BACOM Event, you will receive a letter by email from Bishop Kym indicating her decision.
  • Each BACOM participant and their priest will meet with Bishop Kym via Zoom after BACOM and receipt of the letter from Bishop Kym.

Congregational Discernment Teams

Discernment teams are structured using the following criteria:

  • 4-5 people
  • Diverse (age, race, length of time in church, LGBTQIA+, mix of new and older members, engagement across church ministries)
  • Should not include vestry members or clergy
  • Priest identifies discernment team members and shares roster with seeker

Discernment Team Member Qualities

  • Prayerful
  • Compassionate listener
  • Grounded in scripture
  • Active prayer life
  • Willing to be open to movement of the spirit and all possible outcomes
  • Able to hold space for the work of the Holy Spirit
  • Able to keep confidentiality

Discernment Team Member Requirements

  • Layperson
  • Communicant in good standing
  • Confirmed/Received in Episcopal Church or in full-communion partner tradition
  • Engaged in life of church
  • Able to commit to duration of discernment process, meeting monthly for 7-9 months, sometimes longer

Trained discernment team mentors will provide an orientation for your discernment team. The orientation takes approximately 90 minutes and can take place via Zoom or in-person, depending on location and logistics. Following the orientation, your mentors will be available for any questions you may have during the discernment process.

Formation for Ordained Ministry

After you receive your Post-BACOM letter from Bishop Kym and after your meeting with Bishop Kym and your Rector, you will be invited to a Zoom meeting for all new Postulants.  This meeting includes the Chair of the Commission on Ministry, the Chair of the Colorado Board of Examing Chaplains, the Canon for Mission and Operation and the Executive Assistant.

This meeting is an opportunity to ask questions, gain clarity on your process and examine the Deacon and Priesthood Covenant that you will sign in your Post-BACOM meeting.

You will be given a Liaison who is a member of the Colorado Board of Examining Chaplains (BOEC).  You will maintain regular contact with your BOEC Liaison throughout your process to ordination.  This individual can help answer questions or find the resources to assist and support you.

The Commission on Ministry provides monthly Zoom formation meetings for Postulants in both orders, Diaconate & Priesthood.

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Commission on Ministry Roster

Colorado Board of Examining Chaplains (BOEC)