Once you’ve successfully completed the Season of Preparation and are recommended, the final step is taking your vows. This happens at a special Vow Ceremony, held online and in-person in multiple dates and locations around the world. The ceremonies are held annually from October through November.
All Candidates must be recommended by an existing member (usually a Cohort Leader) before taking vows and becoming a Member of the Order. Persons who have taken vows outside of the OMS Vow Ceremonies, are not considered to be Members of the Order.
Find upcoming Vow Ceremonies for this year.
When you’ve decided to take your vows and have received confirmation from your Cohort Leader that they support your decision, you will need to choose your symbol of membership in the OMS.
Members of the OMS generally wear either a tattoo or a ring (or both) carrying the word of Romans 14:7 “OYΔEIΣ HMΩN EAYTΩ ZH” (‘None of us lives for themselves.’) This is the original text worn by Zinzendorf and the founders of the first OMS and emphasizes the communal aspect of our Rule: seeking to prefer one another and to honour those who have gone before us.
Each year there are numerous people who have specific questions about the official OMS Ring or Tattoos. If you have a burning question on this topic, it may be helpful for you to read a little more detail on the Rings & Things resource document. Of course, if you still have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask us at any point in your own OMS journey.
You’ll receive additional information about ring suppliers towards the end of your Season of Preparation.
In this solemn and celebratory service, you will take your vows to remain true to Christ, kind to people, and to take the Gospel to the nations. You will be joined by fellow Candidates and Members of the Order, and your friends, especially your “companions of the heart” known as ‘cymbrogi’, and family are warmly invited to attend to support you.
After the ceremony, you will officially become a Member of the Order of the Mustard Seed. You will initially commit to these vows for five years and will be encouraged to regularly renew them at future Vow Ceremonies.
One of the distinctive characteristics of the OMS is the regular gathering of Members of the Order to reaffirm and recommit their vows. This happens during the same Vow Ceremonies held annually from October through November that are also for those taking the vow for the first time.
While the vow has already been made by the Members of the OMS and they are therefore still bound by it, there are several advantages that Members receive by publicly reaffirming their vows within their five-year commitment.
We recommend that Members of the Order attend a Vow Ceremony at least every two years to undertake reaffirmation of their vows.
At the end of each five-year commitment, an OMS Member can opt to recommit to their vows for a further five-year period. In this case they should inform the Candidate Overseer of their intention to recommit, and they should attend a Vow Ceremony to make that recommitment.