Vocations & Education

Introduction by the Bishop

 

To be called by God is to experience a deep and personal stirring within one’s soul.

All who believe in the person and power of Jesus Christ, all who are
baptised, are called to walk with their brothers and sisters on their journey to
the Lord. This is an open call to all God’s people, the vocation of all Christians. But the call of God can take a more specific shape.

God calls some men to a service of leadership in the Church, some to lay ministry as Readers and others to the ordained ministry as deacons or priests. In proclaiming God’s word, pastoral work among God’s people, celebrating the sacraments and shepherding the flock to which they themselves belong, those called to ministry live out the call they have
experienced.

Although God’s call is very personal to the individual, a call to public ministry is never private. God speaks to both the person exploring their feeling of vocation and to those around them, including the Church both locally and on the wider level. Indeed, it is sometimes the case that the man called is the last to know. Humility is the key to listening, responding and successful fulfilling of God’s will. St John the Baptist knew that for Jesus to begin his public ministry, he, John, needed to allow him to take centre stage. “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30) Those called by God need to understand that this is true for them also.

It is also true that all Christian’s regardless of whether God is calling them to a specific ministry, must be equipped by the Church to help meet the challenges of Christian discipleship in so many ways. The education of the laity is important, from those preparing for baptism, confirmation or reception, through to day to day life as members of the Church.

The Board of Ministry and Education has developed and will continue to develop resources to help. As these appear we hope to post them here.

May God bless and inspire you as you seek His will for your life.

The Right Reverend Damien Mead,
KStG, DipTh, HonDD, FVCM(Th), MIoD.

Meet the Board of Ministry & Education (BoME)

 

The Chairman of the Board of the Board of Ministry & Education

The Venerable Raymond Thompson

MMin(hc), FVCM(Th), FFSC, FGMS, FFLM, FCSCM, FNFCM, AGST.

Father Thompson  was received into the ACC in 2000, having been a Lay Reader in the Church of England for more than 30 years. He was ordained deacon in 2001 and priested the following year. He served as curate at Our Lady and St Francis, Rochester until becoming parish priest there in 2003, a post he held for 11 years.

In 2008 he was appointed as Dean of the Southern Deanery and in 2011 became Archdeacon of the Diocese. Both of these positions were retained after his retirement from parish responsibilities in 2014.  In 2019 the Bishop appointed him as Chairman of the Board of Ministry & Education. In February 2022 the Bishop confirmed Fr Ray’s appointment as Diocesan Vicar General and at the same time announced he was to step down as Dean of the South.

Fr Ray spent most of his working life in the printing industry, mainly as a proof reader, and these skills are often put to good use within the Diocesan office. Having assisted at the Pro-Cathedral of St Augustine of Canterbury on a regular basis for several years the decision was made that he should be added to the staff in an official capacity, as honorary assistant.

Fr Ray was awarded an Honorary Masters’ Degree in Ministry from the Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Christian University, Miami, holds a Fellowship Diploma in Theology from Victoria College, London, and has also been awarded Fellowships from the Fraternity of St Cecilia, The Guild of Musicians and Singers, The Faculty of Liturgical Musicians at JHPCU, The Cotswold Society of Church Musicians, The National Federation of Church Musicians, and is an Associate of the Guild of St Teilo.

He lives on the Isle of Sheppey and has a large family with six children, six grandchildren, and a great-grandson, who help to keep him occupied!

The Secretary of the Board of Ministry & Education

The Very Revd Dr Jonathan Munn OblOSB.

MMath (Warwick), MTh (JHPCU), PhD (Warwick), DTh (JHPCU), FVCM(Th), F.Univ (JHPCU) FFSC

Fr Jonathan Munn OblOSB was received into the Anglican Catholic Church from the Church of England in 2011 having served 8 years as a Reader in that Church, and as an oblate of the Order of St Benedict at Elmore Abbey. He was ordained priest in 2013 and served as curate in the Parish of Our Lady of Walsingham and St Francis under Fr Raymond Thompson. Following Fr Thompson’s retirement. Fr Munn served as parish priest until he moved with his family to Sheffield.
 
Fr Munn’s background is in education. He studied mathematics at Warwick University. Having obtained his PhD in high dimensional geometry, he spent his years in post-doctoral study at Imperial College London looking at the geometry of water waves on shallow planets. Leaving Academia in 2005, he trained as a teacher and gained a position at an independent school in London where he fulfilled several roles as form master, examinations officer, teacher of Thinking Skills and Critical Thinking and instructing candidates for Oxbridge. At the end of 2016, he retired from teaching in order to look after his young children in Sheffield.
 
Fr Munn has fulfilled several roles in the Diocese. He has been the Diocesan Treasurer and currently edits the Diocesan Magazine. Following a commission by Bishop Damien, Fr Munn has authored several books which seek to introduce people to the Anglican Catholic Church. In 2020, he was appointed to the position of Dean of the North and later, he was appointed to the position of Secretary to the Board of Ministry and Education by the Chairman. In cementing good relations with the Victoria College of Music and the Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi Christian University, Fr Munn acquired a fellowship and studied for two degrees gaining a Doctorate in Theology with the JHPCU in 2023 on the subject of Anglican Catholic Moral Theology. He was then appointed a University Fellow in the subject of Anglican Catholicism.
 
His hobbies are singing, playing the organ and reading a variety of topics.
 
His books are available in our ACC Books & Authors Section.
 
 

Vocations & Ministry

Interested in Joining the Ministry?

For Ministers and Priests From other jurisdictions wishing to join the ACC. Please click on the link below.

For Ministers and Priests From other jurisdictions wishing to join the ACC

Interested in Exploring a Vocation?

Click on the following link to read our Vocational Guide “Called by God?” (Updated version March 2024) is in an A5 Booklet Format

“Called by God? An ACC Vocational Guide ” (Updated version March 2024) .pdf A5 Booklet Format

Education

Starting at the very beginning of your Christian journey, or seeking a valuable refresher course?

The Very Reverend Jonathan Munn has written an invaluable book “Whom Seek Ye?” The Book (and its associated work book) is available from our ACC Books & Authors Section  He has also helpfully recorded a number of videos to accompany the course, beginning with the introduction below:

Whom Seek Ye? Video Resource

A little guide for those preparing to enter the Anglican Catholic Church, exploring their faith, or perhaps a little curious as to who we are. This book contains exercises to help explain the Catholic Faith as understood by Anglican Catholics.

Fr Munn has published these videos on his YouTube Channel – a link to the first video and through that his channel is to be found below.