Convention revises ministry canons

Mountain Echo, September 2003

by Lee Allison Crawford
The 2003 General Convention approved significant revisions to the Canons of the Church pertaining to ministry, but only after the House of Bishops had considered and rejected resolutions calling for “direct ordination” to the priesthood by eliminating the period of six months to a year during which someone called to the priesthood serves as a deacon before being ordained a priest.

The revised Title III, adopted first by the bishops and then by the deputies on the closing day, begins with a new section that specifically addresses the importance of the ministry of the baptized (Canon 1). It calls upon the church to give “assistance in understanding that all baptized persons are called to minister in Christ’s name, to identify their gifts with the help of the Church and to serve Christ’s mission at all times and in all places.”.

Canons 6 and 7 detail the ordination process and the life and work of deacons. A separate resolution asks the Standing Commission on Ministry Development, in consultation with the dioceses, to continue a study on the role of deacons.

The most significant change in Title III will affect dioceses such as Vermont, where there is an increasing presence of locally ordained clergy in Ministry Support Teams such as those in Bethel, Bellows Falls, and the Northeast Kingdom. The current distinction between seminary-trained priests (Canon 7) and locally trained priests (Canon 9) is eliminated, and all priests will be ordained under the guidelines of a new Canon 8. The new canons assign a “mentor” priest to work with the newly ordained “to provide guidance, information and a sustained dialogue about priestly ministry.”

Dioceses on an individual basis will determine what constitutes sufficient preparation and formation of priests, be they in ministry support teams or those who attend seminary. The Commission on Ministry and Standing Committee of this diocese will, in the months prior to the implementation of the new Title III (January 1, 2004), have to define what “sufficient preparation” and meeting of canonical requirements entails for someone to be ordained in Vermont.

In addition to the canonical changes, two resolutions (A065 and A077) encourage identification and support of possible ordinands from college campuses and young adult leadership programs. And, in a move toward reaching out to more diverse communities, ordinands are encouraged to study a culture and language different than their native culture and language.

Title III offers new challenges to the church by providing more serious support of the ministry of the baptized and by encouraging ordained ministry that is more contextual (clearly situated in the local community), while also assuring adherence to a national understanding of ministry.

The Rev. Lee Alison Crawford, a General Convention Deputy, is Chair of the Commission on Ministry and Rector of St. Mary's, Northfield.

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