Companions in Discernment

What is call?

“...let each of you lead the life…to which God called you…”
1 Corinthians 7:17

Call is the means by which God gives us guidance regarding the purpose of our lives. Call can manifest as:

A sense of restlessness
A nagging feeling or sudden awareness
Emphatic and unmistakable or obscure and subtle

Each of us is called because we are baptized and no one call is inherently higher or better than any other. Call is always evolving and changing as we transition through life.

What is discernment?

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God …” 1 John 4:1

Discernment is the process of examining our experiences and motivations to determine their origin. Discernment clarifies:

Source of a call
To whom it is directed
Its content
What response is appropriate

What Companions in Discernment does

Companions help individuals discover their call by prayerfully listening in a safe, caring, confidential, and spirit-led process by providing:

Caring inquiry without explanation or advice
Reflections of motives, desires or fears
Available options, advantages, or disadvantages
The awareness of God’s Holy Spirit

What might bring you to this group?

Times of personal or professional transition
Change in employment or job status
Return to or leaving for school
Volunteering for a leadership position in church or the community
Changes of any kind or any major decisions in your life

How can I set up a meeting?

Contact Sue Mason to schedule an appointment at sue@stmaa.com
Prepare a Spiritual autobiography (guidelines provided)

What can I expect at my meeting?

Opening prayer followed by a period of silence
Sharing a spiritual tool called a spiritual autobiography
Clarification and discernment begins with periods of silence allowing for reflection and work of the Spirit
Discussion and scheduling of additional meetings
Conclusion and prayers

Quotes and Testimony

“At baptism, all Christians are called into ministry so we might use our God-given gifts. But most of us have a hard time telling whether or not the 'call' we think we hear is of God or nagging expectations from some other source. Whether we are called to serve God as priest or Sunday School teacher or prayer minister or Haitian relief worker, sorting through the 'voices' we hear is meant to be a communal activity. Our Companions group are St. Michael's parishioners who possess the gift of listening on behalf of others, and their special training will be of great service to St. Michael's members who want to answer the "God questions" of their lives.” The Rev. Gail Greenwell

“I am excited that we as members of St. Michael's will be able to take advantage of this resource. I hope that people will see it as an opportunity to test their call to individual lay or ordained ministries in our Church. I have met with the Companions and they are supporting me as I discern the future direction and leadership succession for my lay ministry areas.” Larry Bingham