About ordination

In Holy Baptism, the Holy Spirit gives to us the gift of life as the community of God’s faithful people. In the promises and vows we make at baptism, we acknowledge that we have heard from God a call, a vocation, to serve the world in Christ’s name. At baptism we are joined to others who share this vocation, the body of Christ, the priesthood of all believers, the servants of the Servant of God. All who are baptized are ordained into the ministry of the Church, and God confers on us gifts for mission and ministry in the work of prayer and worship in the community.  (from the Diocese of Washington's One Hope in God's Call to Us: Discernment for Ministry in the Diocese of Washington).

Conversations about the possibility of being called to ordained ministry should begin informally, talking with friends and parishioners and a priest. 

Some ways to test the Spirit early on include meeting regularly with a spiritual director, going on retreat at an Anglican monastery or convent, reading about the tradition of spiritual discernment, meeting with a priest or a representative from the Diocese of Washington's Office of Deployment.