2025 Commission on Ministry Members
The Right Rev. Megan Traquair, Bishop
The Rev. Dr. Libby Vincent (Co-chair)
Trinity Episcopal Church, Folsom
Rhonda Canby (Co-chair)
Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento
Earl Cunningham
St. Francis, Fortuna
Fernando Dizon
Incarnation, Santa Rosa
The Rev. Katherine Frederick
Grace, Fairfield
The Rev. Dr. Anny Genato
St. Augustine, Rocklin
Malcolm Mackenzie
St. Mary’s, Napa
Kate Muris
St. Michael’s, Carmichael
The Rev. Patty Park
St. Luke’s, Auburn
Leta Parks
Trinity Cathedral, Sacramento
Seat and Voice
The Rev. Canon Julie Wakelee
Office of the Bishop
The Ven. Pam Gossard
Christ Church, Eureka
The Ven. Margaret Grayden
St. Martin’s, Davis
Commission on Ministry
The Commission on Ministry is made up of lay and ordained members of The Episcopal Diocese of Northern California who help discern and guide the formation of the baptized for ordained ministry in The Episcopal Church in Northern California.
Discerning a Call
Discerning a Call to Ordained Ministry
In the Episcopal Church, call to ordained ministry as Priest or Deacon is discerned in community. We are all called to ministry through our baptism: this discernment process is to engage the questions around a call to ministry under the authority of your bishop, in a particular order within the church.
As part of its commitment to implementing Resolution 2015-D014 of the General Convention of the Episcopal Church (Evaluate Individuals in the Ordination Process for Addiction Concerns), the Episcopal Diocese of Northern California has created a policy on Alcohol/Substance Dependency and Mental Health Issues for Individuals Seeking Ordained Ministry. Make sure that you review this policy carefully. The process is outlined in the Ordination Manual and on the Ordination Process flowchart and is summarized below.
Meeting with your Priest
The first formal step in the discernment process is to meet with the priest in charge of your congregation to discuss your sense of call. You will likely meet several times, over a span of time, as a part of this initial discernment. This priest will also be referred to as your sponsoring priest during this process. Remember that God’s time is not the same as our time. It may be a year or even longer from the time you first meet with the priest in charge of your congregation until you are eligible to be invited to attend a Discernment Weekend. This holy time is not just a time of completing tasks and filling out documents, although that is part of what you need to do. It is also a time of listening deeply, both individually and in community, for how God is calling you to serve in the Episcopal Church and whether ordination is required for you to answer that call.
Aspirant and Nominee
Inquiry Day
The Diocese of Northern California requires those who feel a call to ordained ministry to attend the Inquiry Day. Inquiry Day is offered twice a year: ideally once in the Spring and once in the Fall and is held via Zoom. It is intended to help those who are discerning a call to ordained ministry explore the various aspects of that call, as well as to consider the richness of a possible continued ministry as a lay person. During Inquiry Day, there are presentations on the priesthood and the diaconate, as well as presentations by members of religious orders active in our diocese. There is also an overview of the ordination process. Inquiry Day registration is announced in Diocesan newsletters and on our homepage.
Regional Discernment Group and Vestry/Mission Committee/Mission Committee Discernment
After you and your sponsoring priest have attended the Day of Discernment, and if you and your sponsoring priest have discerned that you will continue discerning the call to ordained ministry as a priest or deacon, your sponsoring clergy will send a formal letter to the ordinations coordinator in the Office of the Bishop. The letter should state that the Sponsoring Clergy and aspirant have met following the Day of Discernment to review the expectations and determine their level of preparedness. This letter will then start the process for the aspirant, the application file in the Office of the Bishop will be opened and the Regional Discernment Group (RDG) coordinator will be notified. The coordinator will then convene the small group which will conduct the interviews, assured that the Sponsoring Clergy and aspirant have gone over all of the requirements, the checklist and the expectations involved. The Regional Discernment Group consists of lay and ordained members with particular gifts for discernment. At least 2/3 of its members must be from congregations other than your sponsoring congregation. The Regional Discernment Group will prepare a report with a formal recommendation to your sponsoring priest your congregation’s Vestry/Mission Committee, and the Bishop about your suitability for ordination. If your Vestry/Mission Committee, after reviewing the Regional Discernment Group’s report, believes that your call is to ordained ministry, they will vote to formally endorse your application for Postulancy.
Regional Discernment Guidelines
After you receive your Regional Discernment Group’s endorsement you will compile a formal application and complete a number of tests outlined in the Ordination Manual.
Meeting with The Bishop
Once you have confirmed that your application file is complete and that the Office of the Bishop has received all required reports, you should contact the Ordination Process Coordinator to schedule a meeting with the Bishop. The purpose of this meeting is for the Bishop to get to know you and talk with you about your sense of call to ordained ministry. After reviewing your application file and meeting with you, the Bishop will decide whether or not to invite you to a Discernment Weekend.
The Discernment Weekend
The Discernment Weekend is held 1-2 times a year. It is an opportunity for members of the Diocesan Commission on Ministry (COM) and the Standing Committee (SC) to meet with 3-5 individuals to explore their sense of call to ordained ministry. After a series of interviews and a time of discernment, the COM will make a formal recommendation to the Bishop regarding admission to postulancy. The Bishop will notify you, your sponsoring priest the COM, and the SC in writing of her decision regarding your admission to postulancy.
Postulant
In the Ordination Process
Once you are a Postulant, the Commission on Ministry liaison will be a valuable resource for you. If you are unsure of the process or have questions, contact your liaison or the ordination coordinator in the Bishop’s Office.
All documents should be sent electronically to jacqi@norcalepiscopal.org.
The Candidacy and Ordination to the Diaconate forms are used for the vocational diaconate and the priesthood.
Postulancy is the stage in the ordination where you begin your formation process. In your time as a postulant and candidate, there are several responsibilities outside of your formation that you must attend to. You will be assigned a liaison from the Commission on Ministry. This liaison will report to the COM monthly regarding your formation progress. It is your responsibility to contact your liaison before the third Thursday of each month with an update on how you are doing. This is an important step as the COM wants to know what is going on in your life and if there is anything you need assistance with.
Other responsibilities are as follows:
- Send Ember Day letters to the Bishop on Ember Days. You can find the dates of Ember Days in your Book of Common Prayer on page 18. The Ember Day letter is a letter from you to the Bishop containing an update on how you are doing in various parts of your life. Some topics to include are the content of your studies, challenging or exciting ideas or people you have encountered, the nature of your prayer life, family life, community life, recreation, and parish life. Make sure to copy the Ordinations Coordinator on the letter.
- You will work with the Diocesan Ordinations Coordinator to provide documentation for your ordination. This includes ensuring that you are up to date with racial reconciliation training and Safe Church training. Please keep the Ordinations Coordinator updated on your seminary choice and any major changes to your formation plan or seminary.
The Commission on Ministry and your liaison are here to support you through your formation. If you have any questions about the process, please get in touch with your COM liaison.
We look forward to watching you grow as you live into your calling and vocation.
CPE
CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education) is a non-negotiable, requirement in our Diocese. Postulants for the Priesthood are expected to plan for and take CPE from an accredited program while they are in seminary.
To learn more about CPE, visit the ACPE website.
To find an ACPE course (either near you or online) visit the ACPE directory.
Forms for Ordination
Forms
Endorsement Of Application For Postulancy
Link to Application for Admission to Candidacy – Postulant’s Application
Link to Endorsement of Candidacy for Holy Orders form
Ordination to the Diaconate forms
Application for Ordination to the Diaconate
Endorsement of Ordination to the Diaconate
Priesthood documents and forms
The Transitional Deacon Experience
Scholarships and Funding
It is recommended that you speak with your seminary to see what scholarships or student assistance/student aid they can provide.
Other sources of funding include:
Your sending parish
