Ordination with Light’s Hope is about call, not status. We believe God invites all kinds of people into ministry — LGBTQIA+, disabled, neurodivergent, questioning, or simply curious. Our training is thorough but flexible, rooted in Anglican tradition yet open, progessive, modern and inclusive. At the end of the journey, every ordinand will become an ordained priest, ready to serve with integrity, courage, and compassion.
So, you’re thinking about ordination?
Ordination can sound daunting. Big words, long traditions, lots of steps. But at its heart, it’s simple: the church recognising God’s call in someone’s life, and preparing them to serve.
In the Anglican tradition, ordination happens in two stages:
- Deacon – the first step, focused on service, preaching, teaching, and pastoral care.
- Priest – the destination of this pathway, when you are given authority to preside at the Eucharist, bless, absolve, and take on the full responsibilities of parish ministry.
Everyone starts as an ordinand (a candidate in training). After ordination as a deacon, you’ll serve as a curate under supervision. From there, you will be ordained as a priest. That’s the end goal of this training: priesthood.
Why do we train?
Ordination isn’t just about a ceremony or a collar. Ministry is demanding: preaching, teaching, leading worship, walking with people through joy and grief, safeguarding the vulnerable, and holding communities together. Nobody can do that well without preparation.
Training isn’t about moulding you into one shape. It’s about equipping you — with theology, worship, pastoral practice, leadership, and self-care — and supporting you as you grow into the ministry God has called you to.
What does training look like with us?
In the Light’s Hope, training is thorough but human. We don’t expect perfection. You don’t need a theology degree before you start. What matters is honesty, openness, and commitment to the journey.
Our pathway covers:
- 1. Application & Discernment – exploring your sense of call, safeguarding training, wellbeing checks, mentoring, and learning the stages of ministry (ordinand, curate, deacon, priest).
- 2. Foundations of Faith – grounding in Scripture, Anglican theology, spiritual practices, and the formularies (Thirty-Nine Articles, Book of Common Prayer, the Ordinal).
- 3. Theology – exploring Christian belief: Trinity, Jesus, the Spirit, the Bible, salvation, ethics, eschatology, global theologies, and today’s big questions.
- 4. Church History & Anglican Identity – tracing the story of the Church from the Early Church to the Reformation, and learning what makes a church recognisably Anglican today.
- 5. Practical Ministry – learning by doing: leading worship, preaching, using Anglican liturgy, occasional offices (baptisms, weddings, funerals, Eucharist), pastoral care, safeguarding in practice, youth ministry, administration, crisis ministry, and sustainable clergy life.
- 6. Church Beyond Walls – Thinking outside the box on how and where church can happen.
- 7. Ethics, Community & Inclusivity – engaging with Christian ethics, justice, sexuality, inclusion, money, power, diversity, safeguarding as an ethical duty, mission, and interfaith relationships.
- 8. Formation & Leadership – developing prayer rhythms, resilience, servant leadership, vision, team-building, and healthy boundaries for long-term ministry.
Training is flexible. There’s no fixed timetable. Some move more quickly, others more slowly. What matters is steady progress, with support from your supervising minister, your family, and your community.
Where does it lead?
When you complete training, you will be ordained as a Deacon, serving in supervised ministry as a curate. After this period, you will be ordained as a Priest — with authority to preside at the Eucharist, bless, absolve, and lead the church in worship and mission.
Priesthood is the destination of this pathway.
What makes our pathway different?
- Inclusivity: We welcome ordinands who are LGBTQIA+, neurodivergent, disabled, exploring, or simply curious. You don’t have to leave parts of yourself behind to serve here.
- Accessibility: Training fits around real lives. We don’t demand eight years of academic hoops. Instead, we offer a structured, supportive pathway of about a year, with space to go slower if needed.
- Support: You won’t walk it alone. Supervising ministers, mentors, peers, and community input are built in.
- Practical focus: Everything links to real ministry — leading worship, preaching, pastoral care, safeguarding, and serving in the community.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the training take?
Most people complete it in 12-18 months but there’s no stopwatch. Some move faster, others need longer. What matters is steady progress with support.
Do I need a degree?
No. We’ll give you the theology, history, and ministry training you need as part of the pathway.
I’m LGBTQIA+ / disabled / neurodivergent — can I still be ordained?
Yes. Full stop. We believe God calls all kinds of people, and ministry is richer when it reflects the full diversity of God’s people.
What about safeguarding?
Safeguarding is non-negotiable. Every ordinand completes training through Thirtyone:eight and every minister is held to our safeguarding policies.
Do I have to use the Book of Common Prayer?
Yes and no. We train all ordinands to use the Book of Common Prayer and other Anglican liturgies, because that’s part of our heritage. But we also teach how to adapt language and shape services that are inclusive, accessible, and local.
What happens if I start and realise it’s not for me?
That’s okay. Sometimes discernment leads to “not this path.” If ordination isn’t right, we’ll help you find other ways to serve — in lay ministry, chaplaincy, or community leadership. You’ll never be left without a role or support. If you decide to walk away altogether, that’s okay too!
What happens at the end?
When you finish training, you will be ordained as a Deacon. After your curacy, you will be ordained as a Priest with full responsibilities: presiding at the Eucharist, blessing, absolving, and leading the church in mission.
Covenants & Wellbeing
At key points you’ll make commitments that anchor you for the journey:
- A Health & Wellbeing Declaration, so we can support you properly.
- A Candidate Covenant, promises made during training.
- An Ordination Covenant, vows made at priesting and shared by all clergy.
This training is not about hoop-jumping. It’s about equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and support you need for ministry — and giving you the space to grow into the person God is calling you to be. If you sense that call, we will walk with you — step by step, with honesty, openness, and hope.
Get In touch
We’d love to hear from you. Whether you have a question, a prayer request, or simply want to know more about Light’s Hope, just fill in our contact form and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as we can.
We also welcome enquiries about church planting and leadership training. If you feel called to start a new community or explore ministry with us, let us know and we’ll be glad to walk with you.