Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2014 Issue | Page 12

Discernment continued from page 9

seek discernment,” said Perkins. And
in that way, “It affirms lay ministry. It
affirms that everyone has moments
of call.”

person make a decision. It’s about
providing spiritual formation for a
community of people.”

For Garza, the experience involved
a lot of silence and reflection. “There
It’s that focus on lay ministry that plays a
were no answers, there were only
large part in the discernment landscape
questions,” said Garza. A member of
for the Diocese of Virginia. The Rev. Dr.
the group would ask a question, and
Sam Faeth is chair of the Committee on
they would sit, often
Leadership Formation.
in silence, and ponder
“I think that’s
I really think that this
that particular topic.
something the Diocese
process, if it’s properly

And when all was
of Virginia can be very
understood, gives any
said and done, Garza
person in the parish who proud of,” said Faeth.
followed a call to the
has a holy stirring of any “We have a dedicated
vocational diaconate,
space for encouraging
kind an opportunity to
an order focused
and supporting
seek discernment
on servant