As Revd Canon Dr Mark Pryce prepares to move on from his role as Director of Ministry at Church of England Birmingham, he sits down with Bishop Esther to reflect on his time in Birmingham, the people and developments that have encouraged him, and what he has learned about vocation and ministry.
During over two decades at the heart of Church of England Birmingham, Mark has worked alongside the Bishops to foster the gifts of God’s people, supporting both lay and ordained ministers from the first stages of discerning a vocation through training, development and ministry.
Reflecting on their time working together, Bishop Esther says: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Mark over the past year, and a particular joy to sit down with him and reflect on a lifetime of faithful ministry.
“His wisdom, humility and love for Jesus and his people shine through this conversation, and I hope it will encourage many who watch it.”
Walking alongside people in ministry
Mark began his ministry as a curate in the Diocese of Lichfield before returning to Smethwick, where he served as a vicar at Smethwick Old Church.
He later joined the Bishop of Birmingham’s team, where a significant part of his work has been supporting people to develop in their calling.
“One of the great things that I’ve treasured in this role has been the permission that I’ve had to walk with ministers, lay and ordained, and help them develop their vocation,” says Mark.
He compares this to the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus, where the risen Christ comes alongside them in conversation and transforms their understanding.
Mark says: “I think that’s been my experience with walking alongside ministers, that through our conversations, Christ has joined us and transformed our understanding and taught us so much more about Himself and about God’s work.”
Ministry in a changing world
Looking back to the beginning of his own ministry, Mark reflects on how much the context in which churches serve has changed.
As a young curate, he trained in a church conducting at least six funerals each week and as many as five weddings on a Saturday.
“I think in most of our parishes, that kind of world has changed,” he says.
“So it’s really important to stay open to God’s mission, God’s call, because the world around us will change, but God’s truth will stay the same.”
That openness to change has continued to shape Mark’s work in Birmingham, including supporting new approaches to leadership development, clergy wellbeing and local ministry.
Seeing people grow in their calling
One particularly special moment came recently when Mark discovered that Charles, someone he had prepared for baptism and confirmation around 20 years ago in Smethwick, had been appointed as a new co-warden supporting Birmingham’s licensed lay ministers.
“I was just so delighted that God’s Spirit grows people and develops them and finds a way forward for them to express their faith and their leadership,” Mark says.
“It’s a wonderful moment when you see a seed that has been sown through God’s grace growing into a wonderful plant for the Kingdom.”
Looking to the future
As Mark prepares to leave his role, he reflects positively on the future of ministry and mission across Church of England Birmingham.
He highlights the diocese’s “missional spirit,” and its outward-looking approach.
He reflects that Birmingham continues to have an entrepreneurial and courageous, pioneering approach to mission, birthed from its roots as a “church planter” diocese founded by Charles Gore.
Mark shares his vision for a more joined-up leadership pathway that aligns with the missional needs of our communities across the Diocese, an approach that has been backed by financial support from the national church.
Mark says, “It’s wonderful that the national Church of England continues to invest in our church planting and other mission initiatives, and we’re benefiting from a generous grant to support our leadership development.”
“Stay open to God”
For anyone wondering whether God might be calling them to lay or ordained ministry, Mark’s advice is simple: stay open and listen.
“Vocation is an invitation of God to enter more deeply into God’s life and to share in the work of Jesus Christ through the power of His Spirit,” he says.
“Stay open to God. Listen to God in prayer, listen to God in Scripture. Listen to what God is saying in worship and listen to what God might be saying through the people you meet and the events of your life.”
Drawing on the motto of Birmingham Saint John Henry Newman, “Heart speaks to heart”, Mark concludes:
“In calling, God’s heart is speaking to our hearts. And so, if we keep our hearts open to God and open to others, that’s where we will flourish in our calling.”
Exploring your calling?
If Mark’s reflections have encouraged you to think about where God might be calling you, find out more about vocations at Church of England Birmingham.
Watch the full video on YouTube: Bishop Esther in conversation with Mark Pryce