Discernment Program

The Diocesan Discernment Program invites participants into a process which is designed to help you discern what God is calling you to at this time in your life. With the support of your parish and your priest, you will be led through a structured program that will teach you the tools of discernment.

The purpose of our Discernment program is to assist an individual in a process of discerning a call to either Lay or Ordained Ministry in the Episcopal Church. It is a ten month program consisting of Monthly meetings on topics such as the mystery of prayer, adventures in awareness, framing the question, and the faces of ministry.

The Monthly Meetings Include:

• An in depth look at prayer itself and the different forms it can take.
• Time for self reflection.
• The development of a spiritual time line and spiritual autobiography.
• The opportunity to develop personal questions which will serve to focus your discernment.
• Increased self awareness and use of the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator.
• Opportunities to hear the stories of invited guests both lay and ordained who speak of their own experience and particular call to ministry.
• July and August allow for a time of Self Directed Spiritual Exploration. Perhaps you will visit other churches, and talk with persons who share your particular ministry or passion.
• Finally, September brings you and all to the time for evaluation, and planning for what comes next. At this point the discerner will have an opportunity to look at programs for Lay Ministry or to begin the process that may lead towards Ordination in the Diocese of RI, by gathering a small team of persons who will be trained using the style described in "Listening Hearts, Discerning a Call in Community" with whom your process will continue.