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New Horizons Church IRCCVocations
All are welcome to pursue a vocation within NHCUK
We are here to help you pursue your interest in ordained church ministry or religious life.Is God calling you in a special way to come and follow?
Your response to God, your joyful embrace of God's providential plan for you, is the very meaning of life. God invites us to co-
Pursuing a vocation is often a difficult road, we are here to help you in your discernment.
For many of us it is difficult to answer our call to serve God, many of us may have tried the traditional road
and may have been turned down. This can often leave us with the qeustion of where to go next.
New Horizons Church UK offers an alternative to those who cannot pursue their calling through more
traditional means.
New Horizons Church UK is primarily a Tradional Sacremental ministry based on the Universal Catholic/ Christian
Tradition.
The Office of Vocations exists to promote, encourage, and help in the discernment process of individuals who sense a call to Diocesan Priesthood, Consecrated Religious Life, or the Permanent Diaconate. We are considered the official contact for those who feel called to a ministry of 'Service' in the Church. Our goal is to help guide individuals in their unique journey to hear the "Call" of God. We support discerning candidates by providing the atmosphere and resources by which they can discern God's "plan" for their lives. When a discerning candidate responds willingly, with full freedom and knowledge in God's "plan", he/she* ultimately finds the 'Joy', 'Peace', and 'Happiness' that God has had in store for him/her since the foundation of the World.
*We only admit Women at this time to the Deaconte
Your first question at this stage may be "how do i recognise my calling". The answer to this question is not always an easy one.
There are many stages that we have to go through to discern our call. This is a time of testing, to know where God wants to place us
to do his work.
Today it is harder then in the past to discover God's call. There are so many valuable ways that you can choose to live your life. There are so many distractions that make it hard to hear God's voice. Discerning a vocation is a challenge, no doubt about it. It can be especially tough today because others, even parents and friends, may not be encouraging or supportive. In the world of the Third Millennium, many are hungry to find greater meaning in life, eager to discover some purpose for their life. But God is calling you?
A vocation is God's unique invitation, addressed to individual persons in which a free response is expected. This response is not a single act, but a life-
when a person is loved and appreciated by others,
when the person is attracted by the example of others,
when the person becomes aware of the needs of others,
when the person prays and meditates on the word of God
As baptized Christians each of us are called to assist others to discover their vocation as we have been assisted on our faith journeys. We are called to help make others aware of their personal richness, talents and human value, opening their eyes to the variety of lifestyles and then ministries within the Church. We are to assist the young and the not so young in their search for who it is God wants them to be; to walk with them in faith, to pray with them, to guide them, to help them become aware of God's loving presence in their personal history in order that they might respond to the will/yearning of God in their own regard.DiscernmentWhen discerning a vocation there is always a confusion of options. Many things interest us.Suggestion: root out any interests that are "bad" or not of God, then with the remaining good choices, seek out your dominant interest and pursue it. The decision making process is a complicated matter. There are many "layers" of decisions that must be looked at. At the same time there are clues, "signs" that are present to us.Suggestion: follow the leads that are presentThere is very often uncertainty in the discernment process. At any one point in time we only see partial glimpses, not the whole picture, therefore uncertainty exists.Suggestion: trust what is deepest in your heart. In discernment your decision will always meet a certain amount of inner resistance. Resistance is a good sign. There is always risk when a person makes significant decisions in his life. A person must have sufficient love in his heart to take a significant risk.Suggestion: reflect on what is the source of love in your heart, where it is leading you, and how deeply it is present. When discerning your vocation, the road ahead will always remain a bit foggy. You probably will not know with absolute certainty what lies ahead. The future will always remain a bit hidden. Mystery and the unknown are part of everyone's future.Suggestion: take one step at a time. don't try to "figure out" in exact detail your entire future.
The road ahead is not an easy one, but with prayer and carfull guidance it will become easier.
The application process is not an easy one, it is designed to be a trying process.
Each candidate for the Holy Orders through Ordination to the order of Deacon and Presbyter will be required to complete a rigorous program of preparation. This preparation will include required study in Holy Scripture, Sacramental, Moral, and Systematic Theology, Christology, Church history, Pastoral Care, etc.It will also require extensive supervised ministry and personal spiritual development of the candidate.The Reformed Christian Church International through its College of Bishops administers this program of preparation in coordination with the candidate's assigned spiritual director.This isnot a degree program, but serves solely to prepare clergy candidates for ordained ministry in the Reformed Christian Church International.The Reformed Christian Church International does not have a residential seminary program at this time
Minimum Requirements
·Candidates for Deacon must be at least 21 years old, and have received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.
·Candidates for Presbyter (priest) must be at least 25 years old, have received the Sacrament of Holy Orders in the Order of Deacon and have received the Sacraments of Christian Initiation.
·Duration of trainingApplicants for Holy Orders can expect to spend considerable time in preparation for ordination to facilitate both factual and academic training, and mutual discernment of the true Will of God for the candidate. The actual amount of time of preparation for each candidate is in the discretion of the College of Bishops having jurisdiction and will be influenced by a variety of factors.
Mutual Discernment.
While recognizing that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to each according to the Spirit's Will, it is, nevertheless, the duty of the Church to discern the Will of the Spirit for those who may seek service to God through ordination. Thus ordination to the Sacrament of Holy Orders is not a right that one receives by virtue of being a member of the Church, nor is it given to everyone who asks for it. Rather, it is a privileged gift of the Holy Spirit given on an individual basis (cf. 1 Corinthians 12, et al.).
Your Next Step
contact
The Presiding Bishop
@
presidingbishop@hotmail.co.uk
With the assistance of the Director of Vocations, a candidate for the priestly formation program ofengages in the following process
1. Completion of the "confidential" application form. You must provide at least two photos which must be countersigned.
2. An interview to be conducted either in person or via Skype depending on location
3. An Essay detailing your spirtual calling
4. A complete C.V.
5. Any certificates of ordination and qualifications.
6. A second interview conducted either in person or via Skype. During this interview we will discuss what you wish to achieve.
7. Copies of Copy of Baptismal, First Communion, Confirmation Certificates where appicable. Noone will be denied a vocation in the absence of these.
8. A criminal records check
9. At least 6 references. one of which may be a supporting partner or family member
10. A short exam or an essay may be given.
11. Evidence must be given of a present ministry or the willingness to form one.
On completion of the above and upon approval you will be admitted as a Cleric and a Seminarian.
All positions offered are non stipendiary meaning that all applicants must be finacially self sufficient. Applcants may be (self) employed or in a postion where there Parishes are able to support them.
Clergy are not required to be celibate, married and single men alike are welcome to apply. There is no bar to marriage post ordination to any of the degrees of Holy Orders. All clergy are required to be chaste i.e. faithful to their partner, or modest in the development of their personal relationships. Celibacy remains an option for clergy i.e. to remain single and chaste, and many of our clergy live such a consecrated life.
Those seeking incardination must contact the Presiding Bishop of the given Jurisdiction. Those who incardinated must go through a period of Probation.
The orders are as follows
The Deaconate
Permanent Deacons are fully "Clerics" of the Church, that is they are Canonically bound in obedience to their Bishop and to the recitation of the Divine Office. They are "officers" of the Church and as such may hold positions of responsibility both locally within a Parish or generally within the Diocese
TRANSITIONAL: Deacons ordained transitionally prior to Priestly Ordination.sees no distinction between the rights and duties of Transistional and Permanent Deacons except the desire of the former to receive Priestly Orders.
Transitional Deacons are expected to assist locally in the Parish to which they belong or are put to serve until their Priestly Ordination and may hold positions of authority locally in such circumstances. It is unusual for Transitional Deacons to hold positions with Diocesan responsibility prior to their Priestly Ordination
The Priesthood
The vocation of a Priest is to serve but also to lead, he shares particularly in the Apostolic authority of the Bishop to teach, to forgive, to bless and to offer. The Priest is both Deacon -
Too often people mistake or misunderstand the nature and vocation of Priesthood. It is not, as some people believe, to be "in charge"; a Priest's authority comes from his Bishop, by sharing in the Bishop's authority he has authority, but not his own authority only his Bishop's.
A Priest is bound Canonically i.e. by the Church's Law, in obedience to his Bishop; he cannot do anything without the Bishop's permission as it is the sharing in his Bishop's ministry that he is able to celebrate the Sacraments and most especially the Mass.
Inthis understanding of Priesthood (as explained above) forms the basis upon which we discern vocations to Priesthood. The length of time for discernment and seminary study reflects the ongoing and careful discernment of the Church and the Bishop as to the suitability of the candidate and his understanding of priesthood. Committment and dedication to the ORCCE, to the Church and primarily the Bishop, is what will decide whether a candidate is Ordained or not to the Priesthood
Lay minister
Nhcuk recognises the position of a Lay minister. Examples of licensed lay ministry are Pastoral Worker, Reader or permanent Sub-
No monetary remuneration is offered for these posts either licensed or un-
Licensed ministry
PASTORAL WORKER: Responsible for representing the church or parish in home or health institution visitations, calls to new or potential members, and other contacts involving care and support.May coordinate the activities of lay volunteers or coordinate education or social out-
READER: A lay person authorised for the Church by license of the Diocesan Bishop to assist in the liturgical reading of Scriptural texts within the context of Divine Worship i.e. the Mass, Offices and Rites of the Church.
SUB-
Certificated Ministry
HOSPITAL VISITOR:A person who shares in the pastoral provision of visits to members of the congregation who may be hospitalised or generally as part of the parish’s outreach activities to visit hospitals.They are to “befriend” the sick, visiting them regularly, providing what assistance they can to make their stay in hospital comfortable and endurable, to be a listener and to encourage their wellbeing.
CHRISTIAN LISTENING COUNSELLOR:A specific activity in some parishes providing a drop-
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER: A person keen to assist in the development of the Faith with children properly belonging to the Church i.e. the children of parents who are members of the congregation.They inform the young of the basic teachings of the Faith, familiarising them with various expressions and practical aspects of the Faith and introducing and providing familiarity with the Scriptures and story of the Church.
PARISH CATECHIST: A person who assists in the education of young and mature adults in preparation for the reception of the Sacrament of Confirmation. They may also assist in the provision of education for the laity generally in coordinating, running and facilitating Study Groups and other such activities designed to communicate the teaching of the Church and inform on the responsibilities of Confirmed members of the Church and of the Faith generally.
You are now ready to take your next
step.
Your Next Step
contact
The Presiding Bishop
@
presidingbishop@hotmail.co.uk
Ordination & Incardination
into Holy Orders
Talk with your Priest or Bishop
Those seeking to become deacons, or priests within the Ancient Orthodox Catholic Church must satisfy the
ordaining or receiving bishop of their suitability and readiness for ministry.
All Ordination applicants must be of the age of twenty one (21) years or older.
Pledge in all truthfulness that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Saviour and that they are called of God to be a priest/deacon.
are admonished to exercise care in discerning the suitability and readiness of applicants for ordination. All too often, ill-
You must be an Orthodox Christian first and foremost: We expect clergy (like the Apostles) to be simple Christians,eloquence need not apply. We expect our clergy not only to believe in Jesus as the living Son of God, but also to have acted upon that belief by giving their lives to Christ. That means a conscious effort to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, adopting His attitudes and (inasmuch as possible) following His example. All of us fall into sin occasionally, but those who are habitual, unrepentant, public sinners are not suited for ordination. Nor those who practice lewdness, pornography, polygamy etc., or who support beliefs that are contrary to acceptable and established true Christianity.
This in turn requires that one be as familiar as possible with the One we are to emulate. That One being Christ. This requires familiarity with the Scriptures, especially the Gospels. Applicants should have gone beyond just reading the Gospels to a deep and prayerful study of them, absorbing the words of Christ and reflecting on their application to our lives and the lives of those to whom we minister. Whether this was done in a seminary is not the issue, what is important is that our clergy have an insight into the mind of God through familiarity with the words and actions of Jesus.
You must be catholic (meaning "universal"): Since we are an orthodox church, applicants should be "catholic" Christians. That means that in addition to the common Christian beliefs contained in (for example) the Nicene Creed, applicants should have an appreciation for the Apostolic Succession, should believe that the sacraments are a means used by God to impart grace, and should believe in the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. (Note that this does NOT require acceptance of the legalistic formulations in the relatively recent Roman Catholic doctrine of trans-
Likewise, why become a priest if one believes that it does not make any difference and that it does not empower one to make Christ present for His people at the Mass? Likewise, it would be hypocritical to seek the sacrament of Holy Orders if one believes that.
You must be called:
The third requirement is that this catholic Christian person has received and accepted a call to the ordained ministry. There are many wonderful ways for Christians to serve God's people in "non ordained ministry." This includes teaching, volunteering at soup kitchens, counselling, even preaching. While opportunities for preaching are greatly expanded by ordination, they exist for others as well. A desire to preach, by itself, should not be considered a good reason for ordination beyond the Diaconate. The office of deacon is valued highly in the church. It predates the Christian priesthood and should in no way be considered subordinate or inferior. It is different. Those who feel they are being called to ministry must at some point decide if they are being called to ministry as a priest, a deacon, or a layperson. Just because some churches require you to be a priest in order to do almost anything in the church doesn't mean we have to follow that same practice ... and we don't. Being a counsellor, for example, requires lots of education, training, and experience, but it doesn't require Holy Orders. The call to ordained ministry as a priest or bishop is essentially a call to administer the sacraments and to evangelize.” Go therefore and make disciples of those in all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." Unless one has a desire to celebrate Mass for God's people, she or he should not seek the priesthood.
You must be trained
The 4th requirement is sufficient training so that the candidate is equipped to properly, reverently, and inspirationally celebrate Mass, perform weddings and funerals, deliver outstanding homilies, and administer the sacraments.
This is the one requirement that cannot be done by correspondence. The candidate must convince the bishop, usually by demonstration, that she or he is ready to perform these duties. The focus of the Mass is the altar, not the pulpit. It is on Jesus, not the celebrant. We owe our people accomplished and powerful preachers. These then are the basic four requirements for clergy in the NHCUK:
1.They must be Orthodox;
They must be Catholic Christians;
They must be called to the ordained ministry;
They must be adequately trained for their duties in the church.When the ordaining bishop determines that these requirements have been met, then it is time to plan for the ordination celebration.
Where?
We generally prefer that ordinations take place with the worshipping community of the candidate.
As in the early church, we see a community putting forward candidates to minister amongst them.
The clergy come from the people; they are not chosen by the hierarchy and imposed upon a local congregation. In a real sense, it is the people who ordain. The bishop merely ratifies their choice and administers the sacrament.
Most ordinations (like weddings) are performed on Saturday (and for most of the same reasons). Many are performed Sunday morning at the principal Mass of the host parish. It's up to the host parish and the ordaining Bishop.
There are no paid/salaried clergy within the IRCC, we all abide By the tent makers policy as set down by Paul.
With any questions you may have.
PLEASE ALWAYS NOTATE YOUR E-
THIS HELPS US AVOID PROBLEMS IN RESPONDING, THANK YOU
If you would like a prayer posted please
email
reverend_oliver@hotmail.co.uk
The Most Reverend Dr ++Khern S. Oliver, OSB, DD
Presiding Arch Bishop OF New Horizons Church Uk Independent Rite of Catholic Churches,
The Diocese of St Benedict, Midlands-
A Ministry In the Old /Catholic, Celtic & Episcopal Traditions and yet open to all denominations
of Apostolic ministries or missions.
Sacramental/ Liturgical/ Evangelical/ Charismatic/ Episcopal.
Presiding Arch Bishop of NHCUK-
Abbot of the OSB
ww.nhcuk-