1 Corinthians 12:12, 26-27
Christ is just like the human body—a body is a unit and has many parts; and all the parts of the body are one body, even though there are many. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part gets the glory, all the parts celebrate with it. You are the body of Christ and parts of each other (Common English Bible).

Each of us has a unique part to play in the life of the church and in the life of our communities. We are all part of the body as a whole and we are all important to the work of the church. Each of us has gifts to bring and share. 

In baptism, God, speaking through the church, claims us in Christ. We become, in Christ, the community of God’s final purpose: justice and peace, love and plenty for the whole creation. This new community lives in Eucharistic fellowship with God and creation, as a sign and instrument of God’s reconciling purpose in the world. 

The church is called to embody and advance God’s mission. Ministry is the vocation of the whole community: laypeople, deacons, priests, and bishops who together represent Christ and the church in the world.