WHAT IS GOD’S CALL FOR YOU?

What is God calling you to do with your life? Could it be ordained ministry in the church? Or a dedicated lay person serving the Lord in some career? What about marriage? Or does God want you to remain single for the sake of ministry to others? These questions, and many others like them, are part of the Vocare weekend that young adults from our Episcopal Diocese and the local Lutheran churches put on twice a year. Since I served as a spiritual advisor on the last one, November 9 to 11 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in La Mesa, I’d like to report on that weekend to you.

What is Vocare? It is a weekend for college age and young adults to grow in relationship with God and one another. The name comes from the Latin verb to call, and the focus of the time is to seek God’s direction for life in occupation, church, and special relationships. The weekend includes spirited worship, individual prayer, thoughtful talks, group discussions, and unforgettable experiences of God’s love. Vocare has a similar shape to Cursillo, except adapted for young adults in their late teens and twenties. Because the participants are young (except the spiritual advisors), they sleep on the floor in our host church and go without showers!

Who leads Vocare? Although an Episcopal priest and a Lutheran pastor are advisors on the weekend, it is planned and led by young adults who have attended Vocare in the past. This last weekend had seven candidates (first-timers) and twelve staff (previous attenders) on it. St. Dunstan’s supplied much of the leadership: Jason Waller was the rector, Amy Weaver was the head steward, Brian Hughes was the head musician, and Jayson Nicholson was the head cook. In addition, Mandy Weaver, Brian Pepin, Alex Tuttle, and Theresa Cannizzaro gave excellent talks on various aspects of Christian belief and life. John and Kem Deehr captivated the group with their guest talk on marriage, illustrated by their little boy Eli.

Why is Vocare important? College students and young adults are the most unchurched segment of the American population. Yet this is also the time when people make important decisions that affect the rest of their lives. Vocare provides an opportunity for our church to impact these lives, and build leadership for the church in the next few decades. And this does happen on the weekends! Recently, I talked with a retired administrator from UCSD. He used two words to describe college students today: anxious and apathetic. While that may be true for many students and young adults, it is certainly not the case for those who are part of our St. Dunstan’s family. If Vocare is any indication, we have a talented, committed group of young leaders in this church who love the Lord Jesus Christ and are excited about ministry to others in his name.

Fr. David Montzingo