Pathway to ministry

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April 2007

Pathway to ministry

The pathway to ordained ministry in his later years has involved a lot of learning, as recently-ordained John Langlois explains.

When I first had a sense that God was calling me into 'the ministry' two things happened that happen, I suspect, to most people who become aware of our Lord's leading.

One was the classic 'Not me!' reaction. 'I can't talk,' like Moses, Exodus 40:10 'I'm only a kid,' Jeremiah 1:6, 'I'm not good enough,' Isaiah 6:5 etc.

The other was reaction was: '…Not ministry!'

In my eleven year old mind, ministry was limited to being a rector of a church which I defined as wearing black, standing in front of a group of people, and chanting versicles and responses.

Since then the path has involved learning that ministry is any thing we do to serve our Lord. '…to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Matt. 25:40. That ministry is the function of all of God's people. Eph. 4:12, and we are all part of the priesthood of all believers, Rev. 1:6.

There has been a growing understanding of the nature of God, who does not force his will upon us but gently woos us to his side or when we are on the wrong track sends flares to show us where the path we are on will lead, simultaneously lighting the way of his choosing.

There has been clarification that, for me, ministry included leadership. My early mentoring came through the example of my parents in the 1950s and 60s in the local church in the then new housing department area of Warrane. Finding the land, raising money to build the church and then running a Sunday School and a multitude of community activities that filled the building to overflowing. I of course, with my siblings, was caught up in all these activities.

When I had finished my telecommunications training and married the wonderful Roslyn Phillips, we both applied for full time mission work with CMS, who could not find a position in Africa for a telecommunications technician and a concert pianist!

I suspect this was God's grace, as I'm sure we were too immature for such ministry.

My growth in maturity of relationship with Jesus and his other beloved and frail 'sheep' accelerated dramatically when we moved into full time ministry in 1975 and became members of the Beth Shalom Community serving those in all sorts of need including simply friendship.

I became a layreader in the parish of Sorell and Richmond at that time (since then I have served as a layreader in the diocese of Hawaii, N. Virginia and N. Indiana).

From there I became director of Clarendon Children's Homes for five years, subsequently studying with the University of the Nations followed by leadership positions in Youth With A Mission. In that capacity our ministry has taken us to over twenty countries on short term mission. For eight of those years Roslyn and I were involved with pastoral care of frontier mission teams in Asia (mostly north India). At the same time we were leading Hope Foundation Communicators FM 103 (now Ultra 106.5) and YWAM Tasmania.

For the last ten years we have served the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship in the USA, a mission to the classical performing arts world with the goal of shining the light of Christ in and through the classical performing arts.

I was Director of Pastoral Care and had oversight of the technical and media aspects of the ministry. Roslyn was Director of Piano Studies along with pastoral/prayer ministry. Over the past two years I have had a clear sense that I was to major on the pastoral aspect of my call.

Although our ministry has always been transdenominational, our home church has been Anglican and we believe it is in such a local congregation that I am now to focus my ministry. The next logical step was to seek ordination within the Anglican Church and that has resulted in the call to ministry at St. George's Battery Point.

This is not really a new direction, rather it is a specific focus, at this season of our lives, for the gifts God has grown (is growing) in me. We have discovered that as God has put Roslyn and myself together in marriage, our gifts are complementary and much of our ministry is as a couple, so my call to the ordained ministry brings with it the synergy of our combined gifts.

I often say that when God calls us to a specific task the reason can seem obvious, but God often has other not so obvious reasons up his sleeve, and God being an infinite God has infinitely big sleeves!

We have learned not to be limited in our understanding or our expectations of his call. Following Jesus is exciting and we are full of anticipation as we discover the treasures he has put us amongst in the people of Battery Point and what he can do through us all as, in this place, we become his hands and feet - his body in fact.

John Langlois is in charge of St George's, Battery Point.

	The Anglican Church in Tasmania Search
	a healthy church...transformingLIFE
	Home About Contact us News Issues Parishes Prayer Calendar Youth Resources

				April 2007

		Pathway to ministry The pathway to ordained ministry in his later years has involved a lot of learning, as recently-ordained John Langlois explains. When I first had a sense that God was calling me into 'the ministry' two things happened that happen, I suspect, to most people who become aware of our Lord's leading. One was the classic 'Not me!' reaction. 'I can't talk,' like Moses, Exodus 40:10 'I'm only a kid,' Jeremiah 1:6, 'I'm not good enough,' Isaiah 6:5 etc. The other was reaction was: '…Not ministry!' In my eleven year old mind, ministry was limited to being a rector of a church which I defined as wearing black, standing in front of a group of people, and chanting versicles and responses. Since then the path has involved learning that ministry is any thing we do to serve our Lord. '…to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' Matt. 25:40. That ministry is the function of all of God's people. Eph. 4:12, and we are all part of the priesthood of all believers, Rev. 1:6. There has been a growing understanding of the nature of God, who does not force his will upon us but gently woos us to his side or when we are on the wrong track sends flares to show us where the path we are on will lead, simultaneously lighting the way of his choosing. There has been clarification that, for me, ministry included leadership. My early mentoring came through the example of my parents in the 1950s and 60s in the local church in the then new housing department area of Warrane. Finding the land, raising money to build the church and then running a Sunday School and a multitude of community activities that filled the building to overflowing. I of course, with my siblings, was caught up in all these activities. When I had finished my telecommunications training and married the wonderful Roslyn Phillips, we both applied for full time mission work with CMS, who could not find a position in Africa for a telecommunications technician and a concert pianist! I suspect this was God's grace, as I'm sure we were too immature for such ministry. My growth in maturity of relationship with Jesus and his other beloved and frail 'sheep' accelerated dramatically when we moved into full time ministry in 1975 and became members of the Beth Shalom Community serving those in all sorts of need including simply friendship. I became a layreader in the parish of Sorell and Richmond at that time (since then I have served as a layreader in the diocese of Hawaii, N. Virginia and N. Indiana). From there I became director of Clarendon Children's Homes for five years, subsequently studying with the University of the Nations followed by leadership positions in Youth With A Mission. In that capacity our ministry has taken us to over twenty countries on short term mission. For eight of those years Roslyn and I were involved with pastoral care of frontier mission teams in Asia (mostly north India). At the same time we were leading Hope Foundation Communicators FM 103 (now Ultra 106.5) and YWAM Tasmania. For the last ten years we have served the Christian Performing Artists' Fellowship in the USA, a mission to the classical performing arts world with the goal of shining the light of Christ in and through the classical performing arts. I was Director of Pastoral Care and had oversight of the technical and media aspects of the ministry. Roslyn was Director of Piano Studies along with pastoral/prayer ministry. Over the past two years I have had a clear sense that I was to major on the pastoral aspect of my call. Although our ministry has always been transdenominational, our home church has been Anglican and we believe it is in such a local congregation that I am now to focus my ministry. The next logical step was to seek ordination within the Anglican Church and that has resulted in the call to ministry at St. George's Battery Point. This is not really a new direction, rather it is a specific focus, at this season of our lives, for the gifts God has grown (is growing) in me. We have discovered that as God has put Roslyn and myself together in marriage, our gifts are complementary and much of our ministry is as a couple, so my call to the ordained ministry brings with it the synergy of our combined gifts. I often say that when God calls us to a specific task the reason can seem obvious, but God often has other not so obvious reasons up his sleeve, and God being an infinite God has infinitely big sleeves! We have learned not to be limited in our understanding or our expectations of his call. Following Jesus is exciting and we are full of anticipation as we discover the treasures he has put us amongst in the people of Battery Point and what he can do through us all as, in this place, we become his hands and feet - his body in fact. John Langlois is in charge of St George's, Battery Point.