Revisiting Your Statement of Call

Your Statement of Call is not a one-time assignment to complete and file away. It is a living testimony of God's work in your life. Throughout ministry, our understanding of God's call continues to deepen as we grow in faith, gain new experiences, encounter new communities, and respond to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

The statement you submitted with your application reflected where you were at that point in your journey. During your Discernment Group discussions, you are invited to return to that statement with fresh eyes. Rather than starting over, you will prayerfully revisit, refine, clarify, and, if needed, reshape your understanding of God's call. This is a normal and healthy part of vocational discernment. Many pastors discover that, over time, their language becomes more authentic, their theology more grounded, and their sense of purpose more clearly aligned with God's ongoing work in their lives.

Discernment is not only about whether God is calling you—it is also about how God is calling you to serve. As you pray and reflect, consider where your gifts, passions, experiences, and the needs of the Church intersect. You may find your call leading toward:

• Licensed Local Pastor, serving a particular appointment through the ministry of Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service within a local context.
• Elder, called to Word, Sacrament, Order, and Service in a life of connectional and itinerant ministry.
• Deacon, called to Word, Service, Compassion, and Justice, connecting the Church with the needs of the world.
• Lay Ministry, serving faithfully through your baptismal calling in your congregation, workplace, community, or other ministries. Not every authentic call leads to licensed or ordained ministry, and faithful lay leadership is a vital ministry of the Church.

Reflecting on Your Call

The journal prompts that follow are designed to help you reflect on your spiritual journey, experiences of calling, and the ways those experiences connect to ministry in The United Methodist Church. You may find it helpful to pray with a particular question during a walk, journal your responses over several days, or discuss them with your mentor or trusted spiritual companions.

As you work through these reflections, remember that the goal is not to write the "perfect" statement. The goal is to tell your unique story of how God has been at work in your life and how you understand God calling you—heart, soul, mind, and strength—into ministry today. Be open to the Spirit's guidance, trusting that discernment is an ongoing journey rather than a final destination.

Session 1: My Story, My Call

1. When did you first become aware of God's presence in your life?
2. What experiences have most shaped your relationship with God?
3. Are there specific people, moments, or places that helped you grow in faith?
4. What spiritual practices (e.g., prayer, worship, Scripture, service, silence, etc.) have sustained and formed you?
5. Was there a time you resisted or questioned your call? What did you learn through that experience?
6. What spiritual gifts, leadership strengths, and life experiences do you bring to ministry?

Session 2: Theology of Call

1. How would you define "call" in your own words?
2. How do you discern between your own desires and God's invitation?
3. Why do you believe God is calling you specifically toward licensed or ordained ministry rather than another form of Christian service?
4. In what areas do you hope to continue growing as a leader and servant of Christ?

Session 3: Calling Within the United Methodist Church

1. Why do you believe The United Methodist Church is the community in which God is calling you to serve?
2. How does your understanding of prevenient, justifying, and sanctifying grace shape your vocation?
3. Which aspects of the Wesleyan tradition (connectionalism, personal and social holiness, mission, itinerancy, discipleship, etc.) resonate most deeply with your call?

Session 4: Exploring Ministry Paths

1. How have pastors, mentors, family members, or members of your congregation affirmed your gifts for ministry?
2. Which areas of ministry (preaching, teaching, pastoral care, justice, administration, evangelism, spiritual formation, etc.) bring you the greatest joy?
3. What needs in the world or in the Church consistently stir your compassion or sense of holy urgency?

Session 5: Yes, No, Maybe & Looking Ahead

1. What practices help you remain healthy and grounded?
2. What support might you need to sustain ministry?
3. If you follow this call, what do you hope your ministry will look like in five years?
4. What do you believe God is preparing you to do through this call?

Revising Your Statement of Call

Using your original statement as a starting point and your reflections from these sessions, prepare a revised Statement of Call (1-2 pages). Make sure your name is at the top as a header. This Statement of Call will be submitted to your Church Leadership and District Committee on Ministry.

Address the following:

• How your faith journey began and how it has grown?
• When and how you sensed God's call to ministry?
• The people and experiences that have affirmed, challenged, or clarified your call.
• Why do you believe God is calling you to serve in The United Methodist Church?
• Which ministry path do you currently believe God is calling you toward—Licensed Local Pastor, Elder, Deacon, or Lay Ministry—and why?
• The gifts you bring to ministry and the areas in which you hope to continue growing.

Write honestly, personally, and faithfully. Your statement should reflect not only where your journey began but also where the Holy Spirit is leading you today. Remember that this statement is a snapshot of your discernment at this point in your lifelong vocation. As you continue to grow in Christ and serve God's people, your understanding of your call will continue to deepen and mature.