2008
Marjorie Ann Gerbracht-Stagnaro
Wanted: Young Clergy In God’s Vineyard
The Church at large finds it challenging to recruit young people interested in becoming clergy. This severe shortage of young clergy negatively impacts all mainline denominations, with the Episcopal Church being no exception. What can be done to encourage more young people to become ordained? What factors and previous experiences inspired present day young clergy to commit their lives to ministry? Through in depth, personal interviews with young Episcopal clergy for this thesis project recurring patterns emerged that, when employed, can help empower young people to become ordained. The Church must call individual young people by name into a serious exploration of ministry. We must provide supportive faith communities, locate committed mentors for them, and offer young people multiple opportunities for leadership, service, and spiritual growth.