Dictionary

Words on this page

Bishop

‘Bishop’ comes from the Greek word for ‘overseer’. So a bishop is a senior Christian minister authorised to have oversight for God’s people. As well as duties given to deacons and priests, bishops confirm and ordain.

Deacon

‘Deacon’ comes the Greek word for ‘servant’. Deacons in the Church in Wales have special roles within worship such as proclaiming the gospel. Traditionally, deacons have had responsibility for social care. Deacons often go on to be ordained priest.

Diocese

‘Diocese’ refers to the geographical territory in which a bishop exercises oversight. The Church in Wales is divided into six dioceses each with its own cathedral in which is housed the cathedra (the bishop’s ‘chair’ or ‘throne’).

Holy Communion

At Holy Communion blessed bread and wine is shared, by which we receive the body and blood of Jesus Christ. The congregation gives thanks for Jesus’ life, his death and resurrection and his continuing presence. See also Eucharist.

Liturgy

Liturgy is a set form of words and action used for worship. In the Church in Wales (and many other churches) these forms follow the same pattern from one congregation to another. Most Anglican liturgies look back in some way to the Book of Common Prayer.

Llandaff Centre of Mission

A partnership between the Diocese of Llandaff and Church Army.

Priest

‘Priest’ comes from the Greek word for ‘elder’. Priests in the Church in Wales are those authorised specifically to proclaim forgiveness of sins, preside at the Eucharist and bless God’s people, as well as other responsibilities.

Theological

‘Theology’ means literally ‘words about God’. Christian theology involves our trying to understand and explain what God has revealed about himself through Scripture. This work is aided by the writings of past and present theologians and human reason.

Home News and Blogs Uppsala Link: Vocations

Uppsala Link: Vocations

Blog Posted: 27 June 2023

The Llandaff Diocesan link with Uppsala Diocese in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Sweden began in October 2006.

In May 2023 Diocesan World Partnerships Officer Martyn Daviestravelled with Diocesan Director of Ordinands Ryan Green, Head of Education Beccie Morteo and Social Justice and Outreach Lead Christoph Auckland. Each of them have reflected on their experiences during that visit.

Here Fr Ryan reflects on vocations based on his experience in Sweden.

Our Uppsala team have meet with deacons, staff and students

By Rev'd Dr Ryan Green

It was a joy and delight to be part of the diocesan team that visited the Diocese of Uppsala in the Church of Sweden in May this year. As Director of Ordinands my primary role was to hear about the vocations processes they have in the Church of Sweden, to understand the theological context in which ordinands and others train for ministry and to develop reciprocal relationships in the area of vocational training between Uppsala and Llandaff. Additionally, I got to enjoy some wonderful Swedish hospitality and experienced first-hand the blessings and challenges that the Church of Sweden is facing.

After a day of touring around the diocese with the whole team, on the Wednesday we split into our particular focus groups to do some more intentional work in our areas of experience. With our link officer, Martyn Davis, I had the pleasure of first meeting with Anna Backlund, my counterpart in the Diocese of Uppsala, and then a visit to SKUI (The Swedish Church Educational Institute) in which ordinands spend a year in training prior to becoming a priest.

There are many similarities with our discernment process: candidates will often have already been at university studying theology and will need to meet with Anna and be able to articulate something about what it means to be a priest in today’s world. There are several forms to fill in and references to be given, and they will experience an initial four-week placement. After a certain length of time, they will be invited to a three-day selection conference in which a deacon and a priest will interview them on behalf of the bishop. If successful they will undergo another four-week placement and preach on a particular Sunday with the Bishop seeing their sermon and offering feedback. While in training (which includes a four-year academic course plus another year of vocational training), the DDO will meet each student twice a year, with each ordinand spending eight to ten days in the diocese and the bishop meeting them at least once. Before they commence formal training they will be given ten hours of therapy (the bishop can direct the therapist in the type of questions that are to be asked).

After meeting with Anna, we were taken to SKUI where we met the Principal and the tutors and students there. The paintings on the wall displayed the Church of Sweden’s distinctive understanding of vocation with the four-fold ministry of musician, priest / theologian, pedagogue, and deacon depicted. This vocational year of training in which pastoral and missional placements take place involves each of these vocations working together to craft liturgy and to learn. These means that vocation is not limited to ordained ministry and that there is a deep sense of mutuality, dialogue, and reciprocity. While at SKUI the students learn seven aspects of ministry (i) worship (which includes homiletics and liturgy); (ii) diaconal work; (iii) pedagogy (learning, formation and teaching); (iv) art and music; (v) pastoral care; (vi) leadership; and (vii) theology and society. There are thirty-six staff over two campuses and over three hundred and fifteen students (half of which are ordinands).

The day ended with an evening with the ordinands and a conversation as to what might happen next. We are all keen to develop a student exchange and are looking to arrange for up to three of our Llandaff candidates to take a summer placement at one of the coastal benefices in Uppsala and to host up to three Uppsala ordinands in our Ministry Areas for Holy Week and Easter. We are hoping that this could be organised as early as 2024. The other distinctive aspect of vocation and ministry is the Church in Sweden’s understanding of the permanent diaconate (separate from the complimentary ministry of priesthood). Such deacons are non-stipendiary, always serving in their community with a paid job with a particular diaconal shape (such as nursing or social services). I am hoping that this distinctive understanding is something we can learn from as we reimagine and revive our understanding of the diaconate in the Church in Wales. A third aspect is the care and attention given to those in formation, particularly in the therapeutic offering. It seems to me that this is of foundational significance if we are going to invest in the mental health and wellbeing of our candidates.