Christian vocation is a celebration of all that God has given us. It is rooted in a life of prayer and service, set within the
wider context of God’s world and God’s church. As Christians are nurtured and encouraged in their local churches, gifts are
shared and ministries develop and grow, enabling the transformation of individuals, churches and the world.
Here you can find some resources to support the local ministry team in helping individuals discover and use their gifts.
SHAPE course
Our vision is making Jesus known in every place, so that all may flourish and grow, seeking God’s Kingdom here and now. Enabling that flourishing and growth is our aim in making Your SHAPE for God’s Service available to worshipping communities across the diocese.
It is a series of three sessions designed to help churches as they enable people to discover their unique SHAPE, the gifts God has given them and how they might use those in God’s service. It will help you to develop disciples, and the gifts of all God’s people. As we serve Christ, we look to identify these gifts, invest in their development and find practical opportunities to use them.
We hope this process will enable participants to live and serve with more joy, satisfaction and fruitfulness, contributing to the flourishing of their church, as well as affecting the way each person engages with their family, friends, job, community, and voluntary/leisure activities.
Session Overview
Each two-hour session includes teaching, biblical reflection, practical exercises, discussion, and time for prayer.
Personal Reflection
After each session, participants complete a short at-home reflection to deepen learning and application.
One-to-One Review
At the end, each participant is encouraged into meeting with a priest or minister to help participants explore next steps. Resources are provided for this below.
Flexible Format
Sessions can be run within a single church or in partnership with others
You are welcome to customise the course for your context, expanding some sessions if you wish to give more time to particular topics. The second session makes use of material from the CPAS Growing Leaders Course, which in turn draws on a six session course exploring SHAPE that has been used in many churches and dioceses over the last decade and more.
Take a look at the resources below:
SHAPE course Participants Booklet
Other resources
Having Vocational Conversations
Exploring the call of God usually begins with conversations with people who are known to the individual, before they get in touch with the Vocations team. Below is a resource for anyone whose role might involve listening to someone describe how being a follower of Jesus Christ is making demands on how they live. This is the work of discernment.
Guidance Notes on Raising the Temperature of Vocational Conversations
Building teams
The following resource is designed as a tool to encourage greater involvement in the life and ministry of your church/benefice/community as together, across the diocese, we seek to ‘make Jesus known, that all might flourish and grow.’
Why use this resource? It can be helpful to know who you have within your communities and what opportunities there may be to enable individuals and communities to flourish and grow. Once you have the responses back it will give you the opportunity to grow teams.
Those whose have used such resources comment on the positive impact of this engagement. It is a wonderful opportunity for people to reflect on their giftings and passions and consider ways in which these can be offered to make a positive difference within their church and community.
How might you use this resource? This resource is designed for you to adapt according to your context. The way in which you use such a resource will also vary depending on your context.
You may want to use this following on from a Sunday focus on all being part of the body of Christ and all having a part to play. You may want to send a copy to all church members. There may be wider community groups/members you would want to share this with. Perhaps this is something you would like to encourage your small groups to think and pray about and then complete. Maybe this will be a helpful follow on from the SHAPE course.
The most important thing is to make a plan for how you intend to use this resource. Don’t forget to include plans for following up. How will the responses be collated? Who will do this? Who will have the follow-up conversations? And don’t forget to thank people! How will/do you do this? Letters? A thank you tea? An annual service with a focus on thanksgiving for all that is offered?
However you use this resource, it needs to be what will work within your context, but we hope that this provides a helpful place to start. Please adapt the following booklet for your own context.
Building teams so that all might flourish and grow
Events
Exploring God's Call: Monday 14 July 2025, 19:00 - 20:30. Sign up here.
For future event queries, email: vocations@salisbury.anglican.org