Does it feel like God might be calling you to ministry? There are many ways you can follow God's call, but how can you tell where and in what capacity God is calling you to serve? The Illinois Great Rivers Conference offers many opportunities for those wishing to discern their path to ministry, vocational and otherwise. Let us help you answer your call.

Not sure where to start?

Fill out some basic information and our Vocational Discernment Coordinator (or another helpful companion) will contact you to help you figure it out - no obligation!

If you feel called to be a pastor

• Call your pastor or your district superintendent
• Consider seminary to be an elder or a deacon, OR...
• ...Basic Five-Year Course of Study to be a licensed local pastor
• If you need money for your education:
  • Apply for scholarships from the Board of Ordained Ministry (BOOM)
  • Apply for loans and scholarships from General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM)

If you're leaning toward training as a lay person (non-clergy)

• Become a certified lay servant or speaker (CLS/CLSp)
• Become a certified lay minister (CLM)

If you want to jump in and use your gifts for ministry now

• Consider serving on a church staff in youth ministry or other specialized area (check IGRC classifieds)
• Consider becoming a global mission fellow or volunteer with Global Ministries of the UMC​ 
• Consider serving in the IGRC Intern Program (get all the details here)

Discerning a call

Do you feel like God may be calling you to ministry — or at least to go deeper in your faith? It may be helpful to know about some others who experienced a call to ministry.

One important aspect of discerning your call is spiritual growth. Often a “call” develops out of an experience with God, but sometimes the way forward after that encounter seems unclear. You may not hear an audible voice directing your path, but hopefully, an enriched spiritual life will help guide your responses to those internal nudges and thoughts that you’ve experienced.