Ceredigion, UK - The Church in Wales is urgently looking for new clergy as figures reveal a continuing drop in their numbers.
The number of full-time clergy has been falling in recent years with a net loss of more than 100 between 2004 and 2009.
The Church in Wales governing body will discuss the issue when it meets in Lampeter, Ceredigion, on Wednesday.
A motion seeks backing for the "urgent need" to "seek out and nurture" new clergy, while welcoming a five-year vocations strategy.
A key issue is the lack of younger clergy, with more than half of clerics aged between 56 and 70, and only 4% aged between 26 and 35.
The strategy's aims include ordaining an average of three people from each diocese each year, of whom two are aged under 35.
Another aim is "to generate a sense of excitement and discussion about the call to Christian ministry" and "to develop new patterns of ministry".
The Reverend Michael Komor, who is rector of the parish of Coity, Nolton and Brackla in Bridgend, has struggled to fill the empty post of assistant curate, with an advert generating just two responses.
"I don't hold out a whole lot of hope for getting anyone for 15 to 18 months now," he said.
"We had two inquiries, one from Uganda and one from India, but nothing from the UK."
He believes one of the difficulties in attracting younger clergy is the fact that the average age of congregations is increasing.
"The only route that people can come to ordination is through congregations," he said.
"The average age of congregations is going up and up and up so it's not surprising that those coming forward are going up in age.
"We need to crack the problem of attracting younger people back to church first.
"For the young people we do have - or might have - it's a case of helping them understand there's still a great deal of joy and fulfilment to be had in ministry."
Mr Komor, who is 49, said retired colleagues were playing an increasingly important role in filling in the gaps.
'Renewal and reinvigoration'
"I know a lot of retired clergy in this area and they are active mostly every Sunday until they're well into their 80s," he said.
He added: "There's no doubt in my mind that the church when I retire will be very different to the one I was ordained to.
"I'm optimistic that it could be a very exciting time of change, renewal and reinvigoration.
"If we get it wrong, oh boy, where are we going to be in 20 or 40 years?"
Churches across Wales took part in a one-day campaign last September to encourage former attendees to return and non-members to start going.
The Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, said last year that often people who had stopped going to church just needed somebody to invite them.
• Dr Morgan will use his address to the Church in Wales governing body on Wednesday to talk about some of the challenges facing the church and the country.