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Dreaming Vocation
“The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's
deep hunger meet.” (Frederick Buechner, Wishful Thinking, HarperOne, 1993).
Envision
Five years ago, at Nebraska Wesleyan University we discerned that a complete
education included a clear vocational process. We wanted to help students pay
attention to the bigger picture of what it meant to be a member of the greater
human community.
With this in mind we applied for a NetVUE grant. This grant, made possible by the
Council of Independent Colleges, seeks primarily to help students “Deepen the
understanding of the intellectual and theological dimensions of vocational
exploration.” At the conclusion of the grant period we planned an event we called
“Envision.” The purpose of the event was to bring together students that had
been nominated by faculty and staff for a night of dialogue around vocation.
We planned it as a formal event. The expectation was for students to be dressed
“business casual.” We offered hors d’oeuvres and decorated the space as it was a
very special occasion. During the course of an hour students gathered in groups of
7, following a “world cafe” style of conversation (www.theworldcafe.com). Every
15 minutes, students changed groups. At every change they addressed a different
question. All questions were meant to help students define aspects of their
vocation. Some of this dialogue’s questions were:
What are the characteristics of a successful life?
What’s the difference between being alive and truly living?
What is my calling and purpose at this time?*
Students had a great time talking about things that they rarely talk about. Their
experience was such that they asked us to repeat the event soon! In two years of
having this event, 120 students have participated.
Envision Groups
After the first event we planned follow-up groups. These were small groups led by
students who would address deeper issues of vocation. In these groups we
defined vocation as the intersection between our gifts, our passions, and the
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world’s greatest needs. The purpose of these groups was not to help students
define their careers. Rather we wanted students to find their purpose and be
able to apply it in whichever career they may choose. After the event some
students decided for a new career, others discerned a better focus on the path
they had already chosen.
We used Venn diagrams to help students visualize the intersections of their gifts,
passions, and their perceived world’s needs. The first week we talked about the
meaning of vocation and how it is not exclusive to a religious call. (To talk about
vocation in Lincoln, Nebraska, one may unintentionally fall in the realm of
Catholic spirituality. To spend one session redefining the term was essential!) At
the end of the session we asked students to ask their parents and friends which
were things they thought the student was particularly good at.
The second session we talked about their gifts. We asked them if there was
anything that they heard from relatives and friends that surprised them. Then we
asked them for the next session to make a list of things they were particularly
passionate about.
The third session we talked about their passions. We discussed why these were
passions of theirs. Then we started asking them if they could see intersections
between their passions and gifts.
GIFTS
PASSIONS
The last session we spent talking about what they perceived to be the needs of
the world. This turned out to be the most challenging of all tasks. Students were
overwhelmed by the needs of the world. We had to guide them to think about
adaptive as well as technical needs. For example, Hunger is a need that is both
technical (can be fixed with food) as well as adaptive (changing the systems that
cause poverty). At the end we put all together and asked them to see if they saw
themes that repeated in all three circles.
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GIFTS
PASSIONS
WORLD’S NEEDS
Intentionality is Key
I think being intentional about creating discernment processes is key to a healthy
congregational life. It is not a silver bullet that will cure every church’s disease.
But once there is clarity of purpose, there is clarity of direction. What if our
ministries went through an intentional process of vocational discernment for its
members? Maybe something we use before selecting lay leadership for the
following year? Would an intentional process of vocational discernment make Lay
Leadership meetings less... challenging? What if everyone at Church Council had a
clearer picture of where they stood in terms of vocation?
Dreaming vocation is a practice that needs to constantly be in the mind of every
Christian. As church leaders we cannot be content with having found our own
vocation. We need to help others find theirs. This is part of our calling.
These are GREAT books to help you lead discussions on vocation:
1. Discernment: Reading the Signs of Daily Life, Henri Nouwen (HarperOne,
2015)
2. Let You Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, Parker Palmer (JosseyBass, 1999)
One last thought: we also need to continuously think of our own vocation. Have
there been changes along the way? Perhaps, refinements? After all, we have
committed our lives to do what God wants of us. It is a vital part of our
discipleship to seek every day the sound of God’s voice.
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*The reminder of the questions are included in a separate document
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