In The Episcopal Church, Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the Church sets people apart and authorizes them for ministry in the name of Christ. Rooted in the baptismal life of the whole Church, ordination does not make someone “more Christian,” but recognizes a particular vocation and gifts for servant leadership and the building up of the Body of Christ. Through prayer and the laying on of hands by a bishop, the Church ordains persons into one of three orders—deacons, priests, and bishops—each with a distinct role: deacons serve and interpret the needs of the world to the Church; priests preach the Gospel, preside at the Eucharist, and offer pastoral care; and bishops are called to guard the faith, maintain unity, and oversee the Church’s mission. Holy Orders exists so that the Church may be faithfully formed, the sacraments rightly celebrated, and God’s people strengthened and sent into the world for the sake of God’s reconciling love.