Catherine Nancekievill, Head of Discipleship and Vocation for the Ministry Division of the Church of England, told Premier's News Hour the Church wants to encourage more minority and ethnic leaders.

She said: "If you don't see somebody leading who looks and sounds like you, then you're never going to think it's a possibility for you.

"One problem we have is about the role models we have out there already - so we're just encouraging churches and people to think about that."

Catherine Nancekievill said people do not need to be convinced, they just need opportunity.

"It is about God calling people, and He is.

"He's calling different people all over the country into all sorts of different vocations.

"Not just ordained vocations, not just clergy roles, it's about people are listening and hearing that call and then they're acting on it and we're giving them opportunities to do that."

The campaign comes after the General Synod backed moves to increase the number of candidates for ordination by 50% over the next five years and to increase the youthfulness and ethnic diversity of candidates.

Nigeria-born Martha Weatherill, a first year ordained at St Stephen's House theological college in Oxford, said her calling to ordained ministry was inspired after attending a Minority Ethnic Vocations Conference supported by the Committee for Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns (CMEAC) and the Ministry Division of the Church of England.

She said: "I've always served, doing one thing or another in the Church, but I saw myself as someone who was going to graduate and get a job in the City, as an accountant.

"Four years ago when I was serving in a care home, a woman who was a resident said to me 'thank you so much for the Holy Communion service, without this we wouldn't get access to the Church or have communion.'

"At that point, I felt like a switch had been turned on, as if the Lord was saying to me that this was my destiny, this was what I was born to do."

The resources have been published in advance of Vocations Sunday when parishes will ask congregations to reflect on God's call in their lives both in the Church of England and in the wider world.

Resources to encourage prayer including 'Prayer Postcards' have been created to share with people seeking to discover their vocation.

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