March – April 2026

Dear All Saints’ Family and Friends,

Many years ago, in a conversation with my parish priest about the ways I was involved in the life of the church, he asked if I had ever considered becoming a priest. I must have looked confused – even wary, because he gently said, “Pray about it.” In the months that followed, he continued to encourage me to prayerfully seek God’s will. It was an invitation to actively discern the direction of my ministry. The conversations with God and others about this call continued even after saying yes to entering the formal discernment process at the diocesan level. They were constant throughout my years in seminary and as I prepared for ordination. Prayer was integral to my discernment – my prayers and the prayers of family, friends, and the church community.

Discernment is not exclusively for those considering ordained ministry. Ministry is the vocation of all Christians and is rooted in our baptism. So, discernment is also a necessary process for the laity who are essential ministers of the church. Our Catechism teaches us that: “The ministry of lay women and men is to represent Christ and his Church; to bear witness to him wherever they may be; and, according to the gifts given them, to carry on Christ’s work of reconciliation in the world; and to take their place in the life, work and governance of the Church” (BCP 855).

Scripture assures us that God has endowed each of us with particular gifts for the benefit of the whole family of God (1 Peter 4:10). Consequently, we all need to prayerfully discern God’s will for us – individually and with our faith community. We need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to recognize, encourage, and activate our diverse gifts. We need to be open to being led in new directions as disciples in our own particular time and place.

In the words of St. Ignatius of Loyola, “May it please the supreme and divine Goodness to give us all abundant grace ever to know his most holy will and perfectly to fulfill it.”

Yours in Christ,

The Rev. Maxine Barnett, Rector