Exploring a call to ordained ministry is a deeply personal experience, yet the process is not undertaken alone. In these pages you can learn about the discernment process followed by the Diocese of Chicago and its parishes in developing candidates for ministry as a deacon or priest.
Following discernment within the local congregation, the ordination process begins at the diocesan level with a nomination to the bishop from the faith community and, assuming all of the necessary approvals, proceeds through periods of postulancy and candidacy.
It is important to understand that the process takes time, a minimum of 18 months, and as much as five or six years from discernment to ordination in the case of priests, most of whom are required to earn a master’s degree in divinity or a certificate in Anglican studies from an accredited seminary. A formation plan is drafted when a nominee is made a postulant by the bishop. For presbyterate postulants, the formation plan is monitored by the Presbyterate Formation Team and for diaconate postulants, the formation plan is monitored by the staff liaison for the Commission on Ministry.
A handbook for presbyterate formation is available here. There are general expectations of postulants during the formation process, outlined in this document. The field education component of presbyterate formation requires a site and site supervisor and an agreed upon set of learning goals. A template for the field ed site supervisor and student/postulant may be found here.
A handbook for diaconate formation is in the process of being updated and will be provided on this webpage when completed. Deacon formation in the Diocese of Chicago is currently a combination of coursework from the Bexley-Seabury deacons formation collaborative and local work such as field education and pastoral education. To enter the deacons formation collaborative, the student must be a postulant.
Forms
The forms for nomination for postulancy are available for download as a PDF below. The nomination form includes in one document the information for the congregation/vestry to complete, the form for the nominee and the list of all materials needed for a complete submission. Documents should be sent via email to the bishop’s office via Karin Gutierrez.
Nomination for Postulancy-Diaconate
Nomination for Postulancy-Priesthood
Forms for candidacy and ordination are being updated and will be available on this webpage when they are complete.
Presbyterate Formation Team Members
Suzanne Wille (convenor)
Charles Everson
Jihan Murray-Smith
Kyle Oliver
Rene Schreiner
Wes Smedley