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06518 October 13, 2006
Heeding the call
PC(USA) urged to recover "culture of discernment" of Christian vocation
by Jerry Van Marter
LOUISVILLE - The Rev. Lee Hinson-Hasty recalled a parking lot discussion he had with a young man who had become an Inquirer after exploring his call with his church's session for five years.
"Full of a feeling of support by his church community," Hinson-Hasty told the General Assembly Council (GAC) during its fall meeting here, "he said to me, 'Lee, wouldn't it be great if every single youth at our church went through a similar process?'"
Hinson-Hasty, reporting to the GAC on behalf of a Mission Work Plan team addressing "Discerning Christian Vocation: Recapturing a Culture of Call in the PC(USA)," said he smiled, and in a response that has stuck with him to this day said, "Wouldn't it be great!"
The ultimate goal of the team, said Hinson-Hasty - who's coordinator for theological education and seminary relations - is that every Presbyterian be invited to answer two questions:
"Who is God calling me to be in Christ in all that I am and all that I do?"
"How am I to use the gifts and talents that God has given me for building up the body of Christ and witness to Christ's presence in all of life?"
The GAC has established vocational discernment as an emphasis of its 2007-2008 Mission Work Plan and some steps have already been taken, Hinson-Hasty reported. A staff position in Christian vocation has been created and its incumbent is the Rev. Korey Lowry. Denominatiol "pastoral leadership" efforts have been renamed "Presbyterian leadership" to denote the broadened definition of vocation in the PC(USA). And a number of vocational discernment events connected to service opportunities have been held, particularly in conjunction with the PC(USA)'s young adult volunteers program.
"But much more than a programmatic response is required," Hinson-Hasty said. "The PC(USA) is being called to recover a culture of call that we believe is sacramentally grounded in baptism.
"No program the GAC created could fully resource a restoration of Presbyterian church culture of call in baptism."
The question "Who is God calling you to be?" is asked by Sunday School teachers and elders and youth group advisors and college chaplains and campus ministers and pastors, Hinson-Hasty said. That's why beyond resources, he continued, "We need covenant partners like sessions and youth ministries to restore this culture of call."
A wave of interest in Christian vocation is cresting, Hinson-Hasty insisted. "It's a wave we would be wise to catch now."
And it's about more than just jobs and how people use their time, he added. "We must redirect the church's attention, reframe some of our issues in terms of Christian vocation. It's not just about vocation, it's also about leadership, justice, poverty, covenant, discipleship, stewardship, small churches *"
To carry the work forward, the team presented a series of recommendations for 2007-2008, including:
expansion of discernment and service opportunities;
connection and coordination of those already involved in Christian vocation discernment ministries;
incorporation of vocational discernment into all educational programming for Presbyterians of all ages;
presentation of vocational discernment from a variety of ethnic and cultural perspectives;
reinforcement of the idea that when Presbyterians participate in the sacraments of baptism and the Lord's Supper they are remembering and nurturing their call as Christians; and
technological support for all these efforts.
In addition to Hinson-Hasty, the project team included the Rev. Chip Andrus, associate for worship; Nancy Cavalcante, coordinator of National Volunteers; Sallie Cuaresma, associate for Native American congregational enhancement; Evelyn Hwang, associate for preparation for ministry; Peter Kemmerle, associate for mission connections; Lowry; Gary Luhr, executive director of the Association of Presbyterian Colleges and Universities; Tricia Tedrow, former associate for curriculum development for youth and young adults; and Mienda Uriarte, former associate for Christian education and young adult ministries.
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