Listen, God is calling! Throughout the Bible, God calls God’s people to faithful adventures and to leadership and service to God’s people. Think about Moses, called to lead God’s people from slavery in Egypt to the Promised Land. Remember Miriam, who was called by God to lead her people in victorious song! Consider the prophet Isaiah who hears God speaking to him, asking: “Whom shall I send? Who will be our messenger?” Isaiah responds: “I will go! Send me!” The stories of God calling faithful people continues with Esther who works to save her people. God continues to call faithful men and women throughout Jesus’ ministry as Peter and James and John leave behind their fishnets to follow Jesus.
God’s call continues to this day to you and me and to all people. Take a moment to consider: What is your call story? What is God calling you to? Some of us feel called by God to teach Sunday School or serve on Council or help lead worship in our congregations. God’s call may come to us nudging us to serve in our own congregations or communities in a lay leadership capacity. You may hear God’s voice through the nudging of friends or as you read the Bible or through your heart’s response to the needs of our world.
Others of us may feel God calling us to further learning and ordained ministry as a Minister of Word and Sacrament (pastor) or as a Minister of Word and Service (deacon). This call may lead us to serve in congregations preaching and teaching and leading worship. This call may lead us to serving in a homeless shelter or hospital setting or as a military chaplain or serving as a youth and family minister.
God’s call comes to us in wide and varied forms, leading God’s people down many and varied paths of faithful service. God’s church needs all of us to listen for God’s call in our lives, to open our hearts to serve God’s people in our congregations and our world.
If you are hearing God’s call to ordained ministry as a pastor or deacon, please reach out to Pastor Heather at the synod office to learn more about the ELCA Candidacy Process that leads to ordination. We would love to hear how God is calling you and help you along on your vocation journey!
Pastor Heather Culuris
SW MN Synod Minister for Engaging Leaders
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 218-851-8865
