Pastoral vocation is the unique call that pastoral ministry entails.
Pastoral vocation engages men and women in a particular service of thinking theologically about everything they encounter, practicing Christian spiritual disciplines as a daily part of their lives and seeking excellence in their ministries out of love for their Lord and the people they serve. Excellence From the Start is a ministerial formation program designed to encourage excellence in new pastors. Focusing on the critical period of transition from seminary to ministry and the first three years of ministry, the program fosters excellence in new pastors by nurturing a pastoral habitus , which Edward Farley defines as an enduring orientation, a dexterity of the soul, of theological exploration and spiritual discernment as the primary means of engaging varied situations of ministry. Beginning in the final year of seminary, Excellence From the Start encourages the pastoral habitus through communities of theological, spiritual, and vocational discipline. From the Start is intended to serve the whole church by developing new pastors who are able to face the challenges of parish ministry with theological integrity, earnest piety, and appropriate vocational practice through disciplined immersion in the traditional resources of the Christian faith.