Ministry & Church Vocations
Ministry & Church Vocations
Preparing and supporting those who have answered a call to ministry in the PCC
Ministry and Church Vocations (MCV) helps the church to discern, prepare and support leaders serving in ministry. Our partners include the sessions, presbyteries and synods that are in covenant relationship with their leaders, as well as the theological colleges with the Committee on Theological Education.
Ministry and Church Vocations is part of the Life and Mission Agency. We carry out our work with support from Presbyterians Sharing and generous bequests made available to the Life and Mission Agency, and with the talents and dedication of the many volunteers who serve on our committees, working groups and guidance conferences.
Becoming a Minister
- "Am I being called?" informational brochure
- Do you know someone who is so excited about the work she does and attributes her reaction to the fact that she has been called by God to that particular vocation? We perceive such people to be special people with a special call. But The Presbyterian Church in Canada doesn’t believe that only certain people are called. In fact it believes the opposite - that all Christians are called.
- Candidacy Process of Preparation and Discernment
- The goals of the candidacy process are to assist individuals in preparation for and discerning of a call to ministry in The Presbyterian Church in Canada, and to provide the church with the best possible candidates.
- Bursaries for Ministry Candidates
- A partial list of bursaries and other sources of financial assistance available for ministry students, divided into Synods and subdivided by Presbyteries.
- Profile for Ministers
- Please note that the Profile for Ministers is only available direct from the Ministry and Church Vocations (MCV) office, not as a downloadable file. Please contact Jackie Czegledi at jczegledi@presbyterian.ca for more information.
- Guidelines for Education and Reception
- This PDF contains the current guidelines for graduates of other theological colleges applying for certification of ordination, ministers and those certified for examination for ordination of other churches, applicants for special courses, and reception into The Order of Diaconal Ministries.
Finding a Minister
- Pulpit Vacancies
- See a list of current pulpit vacancies in The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
- Calling a Minister: Guidelines for Presbyteries, Interim Moderators & Search Committees
- This PDF contains a document summarizing procedures to be followed when a congregation or multiple-point charge is looking for a new minister of word and sacraments or diaconal minister.
- Congregational Profile Form
- This PDF contains information designed to help search committees and congregations by providing a way to understand their mission and help possible candidates decide whether they want to be considered.
- Congregational Self-Analysis
- This PDF contains sample questions that may be used in a congregational self-analysis. They may be used to survey the entire congregation.
- Call Documents
Women's Perspectives
Women's Perspectives
Women's Perspectives is a newsletter produced by the Women in Ministry Committee with the purpose of keeping women in touch with each other and sharing with the whole church their theological perspectives, biblical insights, special interests, joys and concerns.
Specialized Ministry Resources
- Lay Missionaries
- This MS Word file (.doc) contains information regarding the role and duties of lay missionaries and the responsibilities of the appointing presbyteries, and offers guidance on the educational preparation of lay missionaries.
- Ministerial Lay Staff
- This MS Word (.doc) file contains information on paid ministerial lay staff and how congregations can support them.
- Interim Ministry Policy, Procedures and Resources
- This PDF contains policy, procedures and resources for interim ministry.
- Called to Covenant: Main Document | Resource Book
- The Called to Covenant project was designed to strengthen the relationships between congregations and presbyteries. In response to numerous requests for help in recent years, the project engaged the church in research and consultation about pastoral oversight, congregational planning and crisis intervention. This resource offers the church theological reflection and discussion on these areas of its life, as well as tools and processes that have been found to be helpful in parts of the church.
- Together in Ministry
- This PDF contains an historical, biblical study aimed at assisting the church to appreciate the distinctive understanding of offices of ministry within the family of Reformed and Presbyterian churches. It traces the evolution of these offices over the centuries, with particular attention to scripture and to the work of key theologians and church bodies. Further, it discusses current challenges and possibilities, thereby attempting to assist the church in the 21st century to move forward in its service to God.
- Theology of Ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacraments
- This PDF contains information about the theological foundation of ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacraments, as well as ordination in the context of specialized ministries, such as a camping ministry or institutional chaplaincy.
Staff
Susan Shaffer
Associate Secretary
sshaffer@presbyterian.ca
416-441-1111
800-619-7301, x264
Liz Brewer
Program Manager
ebrewer@presbyterian.ca
416-441-1111
800-619-7301, x248
Jackie Czegledi
Administrative Assistant
jczegledi@presbyterian.ca
416-441-1111
800-619-7301, x263
Women in Ministry
Women in Ministry is a national committee of the Ministry and Church Vocations office of the Life and Mission Agency of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.
The Women in Ministry Committee has a mandate to support the role of women serving in leadership in ministry through:
- seeking to facilitate networks among women in ministry in The Presbyterian Church in Canada and ecumenically. It is within such local networks and relationships that particular support for individuals can be offered. Attention will be drawn to the needs of those isolated by geography or function.
- bringing the concerns and perspectives of women in ministry to the attention of the church.
- encouraging research about women in ministry and communicating with the church.
- fostering discussion about issues related to women in ministry.
Learn More...
Women's Perspectives, a newsletter with the purpose of keeping women in touch with each other and sharing with the whole church their theological perspectives, biblical insights, special interests, joys and concerns.
Contact Us
The Women in Ministry Committee meets three times a year. All correspondence will be considered by the committee at its regular meetings.
Email: wim@presbyterian.ca
or write to:
Women in Ministry Committee
Ministry and Church Vocations
Presbyterian Church in Canada
50 Wynford Drive
Toronto, Ontario
M3C 1J7