El Greco, "Descent of the Holy Spirit"

A Commission on Ministry functions in a diocese to assist the bishop in making provision for the development and affirmation of the ministry of all baptized persons in the Church and in the world. Constitution and Canons of The Episcopal Church mandate that “In each Diocese there shall be a Commission on Ministry (‘the Commission’) consisting of Clergy and Lay Persons. The number of members, terms of office, and manner of selection to the commission shall be determined by the Canons of each Diocese.” Title III. Canon I, II

Chair: The Rev. Steve Ellis
Vocations Secretary:  The Rev. Maly Hughes
Contact:  com@edecr.org
COM Roster 2009-2010

Commission on Ministry Events

• Day of Discovery 2010
  The Day of Discovery is scheduled for 6/12/2010. This one day program explores how the four orders of ministry in the Episcopal Church (laity, deaconate, priesthood, and bishop) complement and support each other. Day of Discovery is followed by a 12 week Context for Ministry program for those who wish to delve more deeply into the work of the four orders of ministry. The programs are open to all interested lay persons. Individuals considering holy orders must participate in both programs.  More info will be posted closer to the date of the event.  
  • Letter to Rectors and Vicars
  • Bulletin Inserts will be posted closer to the date of the event 
• Discernment Conferences 2010
  Discernment Conferences are scheduled for 5/22/2010 and 10/2/2010. Nominees for Holy Orders meet with the Commission on Ministry for a comprehensive set of interviews.
  Attendance is by invitation only.
• Navigating the Discernment Process, a workshop describing the ordination process and the work of the Commission On Ministry in El Camino Real, will be held January 23, 2010 at St. Paul's, Salinas from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.. The workshop is particularly valuable for anyone who is discerning a call to the diaconate or priesthood, members of vestries and congregations which have a person in the ordination process, and members of the Standing Committee. To register:  please email Joanna Shreve at jrshreve@aol.com.  (Please put COM in the subject line.)

COM Documents

Introduction: The Commission on Ministry has developed two interrelated documents. The first document, Discerning Paths of Ministry, is designed to assist the reader in the beginning stages of discerning a personal ministry as a lay person or as one who is sensing a call to the ordained ministry. It includes a description of the first steps in the discernment process in the Diocese of El Camino Real. The second document, Steps Toward Ordained Ministry, describes in detail the process leading to ordination to the Vocational Diaconate and to the Priesthood. Both documents need to be carefully studied by those who are considering ordained ministry.

• Discerning Paths of Ministry - January 2007, minor revisions November 2008, cover letter updated May 2008
  • Letter to Rectors and Vicars Re: Context for Ministry - September 2006
• Steps Toward Ordination - January 2007, minor revisions November 2008, cover letter updated May 2008
  • Note:  As of June 2009, the Commission On Ministry is no longer using The Center For Ministry for psychological evaluations. Please contact the COM, com@edecr.org , for information on approved provider(s). 
• Continuing Education Reporting Requirement Info - PDF
• Continuing Education Report Form - MS Word
• Continuing Education Report Form - PDF
• Constitution and Canons of the Episcopal Church
  • Refer to Title III for the Canons on Ordained and Lay Ministry; Title III, Canon 6 deals specifically with ordination to the Diaconate; Title III, Canon 8 deals specifically with ordination to the Priesthood

Ministry Resources

• Presiding Bishop's Office for Ministry Development
• North American Association for the Diaconate
• National Ministry Canons
  • Revisions 2006

Schools and Seminaries

	Church Divinity School of the Pacific (CDSP) The Church Divinity School of the Pacific is a graduate theological seminary and center of theological study of the Episcopal church, and is a founding member of the ecumenical Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California. The Church Divinity School of the Pacific is the official seminary of the Province of the Pacific of the Episcopal Church.
	The Episcopal School for Deacons Berkeley, California.  The School for Deacons is an educational institution of the Diocese of California under the general oversight of the Bishop.  The mission of the School is to provide a pre-eminent program for the education and formation of deacons in the Episcopal Church. The School actively seeks students for the diaconate and for lay ministry preparation from all the dioceses in northern California.  Currently we have students from the dioceses of California, El Camino Real, and Northern California. A Day on Campus is held annually in the Fall; an Inquirer's Day is held annually in the Spring
	Episcopal Seminaries List - recognized seminaries in the United States
	Instituto Guadalupe Our diocesan school for Latino clergy.

Board of Examining Chaplains

The Board of Examining Chaplains serves at the direction of the Commission on Ministry. It is a group of clergy and lay people who set the standards for academic certification of the Holy Orders process. For information about the Board of Examining Chaplains (BOEC), please contact the Commission on Ministry, com@edecr.org .