The Commission on Ministry (COM) serves as an advisory body supporting the ministry and vocation of all baptized persons. Our work is especially focused on listening to and walking with those who hear a call to ordained ministry. In this capacity, we oversee a discernment process and offer recommendations to Bishop Marc at key moments in that process.

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The COM comprises lay and ordained members from all five deaneries of the Diocese of California; we strive to represent the diversity of persons that God has called to serve the Church in California. We meet once a month for our regular business, and to meet with people at various stages in their discernment process. Once a year we conduct a Vocations Conference, at which we meet with and explore the question of ordained ministry for those who have applied to become Postulants in the Diocese of California. We are not a decision-making body; our job is to make recommendations to Bishop Marc about persons in discernment for Holy Orders, and to work to provide ongoing formation resources for laity.

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In the summer of 2021, we bade farewell to Whitney Wilson, who served as Associate for Congregational Ministries (formerly Vocations), and welcomed Travis Stevens into this role.  We continued to meet via zoom, including for our Vocations Conference (!), and focused our energy on local discernment and formation for congregations, developing online resources for discerning and nominees, and adopting our practices in the days of COVID.   We also continued our communications with the Standing Committee, who share canonical responsibility with the Bishop for this area of our common life.

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We’re excited about more good work ahead!

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Current members

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Will Crockett ’23 (1 term)

Beth Foote  ’22 (1 term)

Davey Gerhard ’20 (1 term)

Mary Carter Greene  ’23 (1 term)

Jennifer Nelson ’22 (co-chair, 1 term)

Beth Phillips ’22 (co-chair, 1 term)

Karma Quick-Panwala  ’23 (1 term)

Jeri Robinson  ’23 (1 term)

Lori Walton ’23 (1 term)

Jay Watan  ’22 (1 term)

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Five members rotated off of the Commission in October 2021 after completing their terms, and one member resigned.  Incoming members have been selected by Bishop Marc and their appointment to the COM will be ratified at Convention.