A Voice of one Who Calls

we heard on the retreat that it may take our whole ministries to figure out what happens at ordination. Now as a ordained person +2 days, that makes sound advice. The facts of what happened, I was received into connextion with the methodist conference, big venue, great worship, good preaching, promises made. Then in the afternoon, I was ordained more worship lots of prayer, hymns, laying on of hands (thought that bit would be longer) then communion, where in my family and friends communion row, I had an unexpected visitor sit next to me who I had never met, could it have been an angel, we may never know! But as my non Christian sibling summed the whole day up, in trying to make some sence for her, she remarked that the services were more than what happened in terms of structure, she couldn't me more right. It was about a meeting in some ways predetermined, if I kept following where God was leading me, and an affirmational and authoritative blessing.  

There has been a tendency in my route to this point to be less vocal, I now feel like god is saying and I have a greater confidence to "Speak." speak into the moments of word and sacraments, the pastoral moments and the general moments, and taking some of the words from the ordination service, (I paraphrase) in my speaking let no one suffer, preach the gospel, forgive the penitent, seek the lost... Remember grace and mercy justice and discipline. My ordination will grow within me, like a blooming flower and will change me more into the likeness Jesus calls all us to be in, namely his.

 

Standing now in a line of successive ministers in my family, I am number 13, and in a line of presbyters that stand across time back to john Wesley, as a reverend like the millions of reverends across the globe, trying to preach the good news of Jesus, to the faithful 2 billion+ Christians and remaining 4 is billion, is scary, awe inspiring, and makes me want to take a tighter grip of Jesus hand than ever before.

 

I wanted to post something as a some small part of my experience, as I process what's happened to me over this hugely special weekend. I hope in amongst my ramblings you caught a glimpse of something of the awesomeness of God, who knows our names, our joys , our sorrows, and where we can and should be in him.

 

Lord your call permeates every generation, your love saturates the human soul and the fabric of society and the world, if we would just open our eyes and in amongst the imperfection, of personal agendas, political posturing, war, famin, global warming, we might find you, you calling us to use our voices, and hands to build, proclaims and suffer for your kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven. Amen