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Dictionary

Words on this page

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Deacon

‘Deacon’ comes the Greek word for ‘servant’. Deacons in the Church in Wales have special roles within worship such as proclaiming the gospel. Traditionally, deacons have had responsibility for social care. Deacons often go on to be ordained priest.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Ordain

To be ordained is to be set apart, empowered by the Holy Spirit and authorised by the Church for a particular type of ministry. The Church in Wales has three ‘orders’ of ministry, namely deacon, priest and bishop.

Prayer

Prayer sustains our human relationship with God and may involve words (formal or informal) or be silent. Prayer can involve adoration (‘I love you’), confession (‘sorry’), thanksgiving and supplication (‘please’).

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Theological

‘Theology’ means literally ‘words about God’. Christian theology involves our trying to understand and explain what God has revealed about himself through Scripture. This work is aided by the writings of past and present theologians and human reason.

Home About us Vocations and Discernment Ordained ministry

Ordained ministry

Is God calling you to ordained ministry in the Church in Wales?

The Church in Wales ordains people as deacons and priests to nurture disciples and grow God’s kingdom. The Church is committed to helping people from all walks of life explore and discern their calling to ordained ministry. This could be to the distinctive diaconate or to the priesthood. Through a process of prayerful reflection and discernment, your diocese will support you as you journey towards understanding God’s purpose for your life.

Ordained ministry is a significant and exciting commitment, requiring careful thought and prayerful preparation. After you have prayed about your calling, the next step is to speak with your church leader or chaplain about your sense of calling. They will help you explore what type of ministry best matches your unique gifts and talents. When the time is right, they may then put you in touch with your diocesan vocations team and your calling and suitability for ordination training will be prayerfully considered.

All ordained ministers embrace the calling to share God’s love through the whole of their lives. Some minister full-time and are paid a wage (a ‘stipend’). This is known as stipendiary ordained ministry.

Ordained ministry can also be carried out alongside other work and commitments, offering a unique opportunity to share the love of Christ in both church and daily life. This is known as non-stipendiary ordained ministry (NSM).

Some dioceses may also explore with you a local form of NSM ordained ministry, known as NSML, or a pioneer form of ordained ministry, which explores new, imaginative ways to engage with people who otherwise would not have the chance to explore faith.

For all ordained ministry, the provincial discernment process takes place in two stages. The first stage, called Stage One: Carousel Conversations, is held online over the course of a day. The second stage, known as Stage Two: Provincial Discernment Panel, is a face-to-face discernment panel that takes place over three days.

Throughout both stages, your Diocesan Director of Ordinands (DDO) will work closely with you, using the qualities for discernment to guide the process. These qualities will be explored with you in detail. A document detailing these qualities can be found here:

There’s no need to worry if some of these qualities feel unfamiliar at first – your DDO and vocations team will guide you through the discernment process and support you every step of the way.

The Two-Stage Discernment Process

What happens next?

If recommended, you will train through St Padarn's Institute. Training pathways vary and may be full-time (some of your time living in the college community and some serving in a local ministry/mission area) or part-time (designed to fit alongside your ongoing work). All the costs of training are covered by the Church. If you train full-time, you will receive a grant for your living costs. For more information about finances and ministry:

Upon completing your initial formation and training, you will be ordained as a deacon by your bishop and begin a curacy in a ministry/mission area, serving alongside an experienced priest. This hands-on experience helps prepare you for your ministry while allowing you to put your training into practice.

As a deacon, you can officiate at weddings and baptisms, but you will need to be ordained as a priest to preside over Holy Communion. This usually happens after your first year of curacy.

For more information about training at theological college, please see St Padarn’s website:

St Padarn’s Institute

Discern your call in your diocese

Visit your diocesan website to explore ministry in your diocese and to begin discerning what God might be calling you to: