Consider Ordained Ministry in the Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA.
Everyone is called to minister. Almighty God calls each of us to a role of spreading the Good News: the Gospel of the life, death, and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are each called by God to “preach” by word and example that Jesus loves us and that Jesus died for our salvation. That is the vocation, this is the ministry, of every Christian person.
Some are called to ordained ministry. Almighty God also freely gives special calls to some people to serve in a dedicated ministry; to devote their lives to serving God's people by formally preaching the Word and bringing the sacraments to people through ordained ministry. There are people, men and women, called to serve the Christian community as deacons, priests, and bishops.
God's call is directly to you. Many churches have set rules and regulations which seem intended to limit and even control God's call to ordained ministry to only those whom that church determines as worthy or otherwise fit for ministry. For example, some churches limit ordained ministry only to unmarried men and then impose a vow of celibacy; some do not allow women to be ordained. Others try to limit God's call to ministry to those it considers under various measures to be righteous or whom they feel are worthy of ministry.
No one is worthy of God's call. Well, none of us is really worthy of ministry. But, God still calls people to serve his church as ordained ministers. The Ecumenical Catholic Church+USA wishes to recognize God's freedom to call whomever he wishes to ministry and therefore, this church places only a few expectations on those who wish to respond to God's call to ordained ministry.
Answer God's call. So, if you feel Almighty God is calling you to ordained ministry to serve his people, please read on and consider ministry in the ECC+USA.
Respecting Apostolic Tradition. Our church respects the ordered ministry which began to be developed in the early New Testament Epistles: a hierarchy of bishops, priests, and deacons; ordination in Lines of Apostolic Succession; and supervision of faith and church polity by all bishops in collegial synod. Following the example of the Apostles and the early Church Fathers, the ECC+USA respects that those called to ministry be educated in the Faith and lead a life of holiness and service. Further, the ECC+USA fully respects and responds to Almighty God's call to ministry of both men and women, both married and unmarried, both saints and sinners.
Read, Question, Pray. Begin by reading this website. We have included about everything there is to know about our church. Ask questions and seek clarification. Write to Bishop Robert to discuss your aspirations and to discern possibilities of service in this church. Pray for the grace of discernment so you know God's will for your life.
ECC+USA Ministry Applications. There are two ways to enter this church as a clergyperson: as an ordination candidate (a seminarian preparing for ordination) or as an already ordained cleric (deacon, priest, or bishop) seeking incardination. Below are links to documents within this website which explain procedures.
“The harvest is great; the laborers are few.” If you have any questions or need any help, please do not hesitate to email us. We would consider it a great blessing to have you answer God's call and partner with us in the ministry of serving Him and His holy people by being ordained or incardinated and starting your own ministry of service. There are many people in this world of ours who are estranged from their birth church, but are still seeking to be welcomed and loved by a church representing Jesus. That is the call of our ministry.
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Letter to those interested in seeking Ordination in the ECC+USA.
Letter to those interested in Incardination as a cleric in the ECC+USA.