Andrew is stepping fully into priestly ministry — without ever having uprooted his family, left his community, or abandoned the place where he felt called to serve.

“Coming to America, I was told this is the land of milk and honey,” William says. “I never imagined I would see a homeless person. I never imagined I would see an addicted person sleeping on the ground on a very cold day. That was a wake-up call for me.”

For Quincy, Bexley Seabury provided more than an education. It provided a pathway — one that allowed him to remain connected to home while preparing for a wider and evolving ministry.

As one of the first graduates of the Deacons Formation Collaborative, Pam’s story reflects a central vision behind the program itself: that formation for ministry can happen not apart from ordinary life, but through it.

Mel returned to one particular word to describe her experience of the program:

“Humane.”

“The old model often asked people to step away from their lives in order to prepare for ministry,” Kevin said. “But the DFC recognizes that people are already living deeply engaged lives of service and vocation.”

The DFC’s flexible, asynchronous structure made formation possible within the realities of Amanda’s life — as a physical therapist, parent, parish leader, and active lay minister.