Vicars are the backbone of any parish. As a vicar, you are responsible for many ceremonial duties such as marriages, funerals, communal worships, and christenings. If you have a large parish, this can be a very demanding job. Your job is not just ceremonial. As a vicar, you must help your parish navigate their spiritual paths. You must provide one-on-one guidance to members of your church, advising them on how to live Christ-like lives and carry out God’s work. People rely on you to assure them passage into heaven, so your job is quite serious. While the job can be incredibly taxing, it can also be rewarding. If you have strong religious faith, and feel a personal calling from God, becoming a vicar may be the right career for you.
Obviously, you should attend church regularly. Go to any weekly communal worships and pay close attention during the session. You should also develop a one-on-one relationships with the leaders of your church. Talk to priests and other vicars about your desire to become a religious leader. Ask them for advice and guidance. If your church has a vestry, consider joining. Being an active vestry member can help you build the skills necessary to succeed as a vicar.
It can help to take a religious studies course. If you are in high school or college, see if there are any religious studies courses offered by your school. You can also look into enrolling in or auditing a religious studies class at a community college or four year college in your area.
Close yourself off daily for personal prayer and meditation. This should become a necessary part of your day, as important as showering and brushing your teeth. How you pray and meditate depends on your church and personal preferences. If you’re unsure on how to get started, talk to a religious leader in your local church. Ask him or her for advice on how to pray and mediate when alone.
You can always volunteer at your church, and this may be the best place to start if you want to be a religious leader. Talk to your priest about volunteer opportunities at your church, particularly those working with others. You may even be able to go on faith-based volunteer trips with your church, helping communities across the world or country. You can also look for local religious organizations, that fall within the values of your denomination, and volunteer here. In addition to church-based volunteer work, strive to work with any organization with a focus on community outreach. You could volunteer at a local nursing home, work with an organization like Little Brothers/Big Sisters, or outreach programs that provide food to impoverished families.
Ask your priest if there are any public speaking opportunities within your church. Your priest may, for example, allow you to give a lecture or brief sermon on special occasions. If you’re still in high school, join the debate club. This will provide you with invaluable public speaking experience. You can also attend open mic nights if you’re a creative type. If you, say, write poetry, you may be able to read your poetry at various events. This can help you hone your public speaking skills.
Make sure to prepare before speaking to the vicar. You want to make it clear that you’re sincere in your intent and your commitment is strong. Review the Bible and spend some time thinking about how to articulate your beliefs about God, community, and religious duty. When you talk to your bishop or vicar, mention any experience you have. Talk about past volunteer work with the church, and the relationships you’ve fostered in your current religious community. You want to make sure the bishop think that you’re ready to start on the official path to become a vicar.
You may also have written work to complete during these interviews, as well as activities to engage in before the panel. You can prepare by studying your Bible, reviewing your beliefs and goals, and talking to your local priest and parish.
Your church may select a seminary for you, or offer a recommendation. If you have to decide on a seminary on your own, think about what you want in a community. Make sure any seminary you choose is rooted in the right denomination for your goals. If you want to become a vicar, you want a school that is committed to the Bible and scripture. You’ll want to avoid secular colleges when obtaining a theological degree to become a vicar. The duration of your studies varies depending on your current knowledge of the Bible, and any previous theological training you’ve had. In general, training lasts two to three years. As your job is to be a spiritual guide for your parish, you’ll need an incredibly detailed and informed view of the Bible, its history, and its teachings. Your studies will be long and, at times, difficult, but try to stay committed and keep your faith strong.
During this period, you will be supervised by a priest. During your first year, you will primarily conduct funerals and baptisms while learning more about the church’s workings. During your second year, you will begin to take on more duties. You will be promoted to the position of priesthood, allowing you to perform marriages. By the end of the four years, you should be familiar with a wide variety of duties of the parish. At this point, you can begin to apply to various parishes to become a vicar.
You will be responsible for a variety of ceremonies such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, and so on. This involves talking to families to make sure such ceremonies are conducted with respect and regard for everyone’s wishes, so make sure to listen to the requests of your parish. You also have certain administrative tasks you must do. You must keep track of church’s bank accounts, fundraising campaigns, and run church meetings.
You may have to make house calls for elderly or housebound members of your parish. You will have to be open to one-on-one discussions with members of your parish in need of personal guidance. You may also have to guide young church members who want to become vicars themselves someday.
It will get easier with time to speak publicly. As you’ll be conducting multiple services a week, you’ll find yourself gaining confidence as time goes by. Make sure you work on enunciation. You can record yourself speaking and play it back to yourself. Listen for words you commonly fumble over and mispronounce.
