Ordination

Prayer chapel at St. Thomas Episcopal, Denver.

Last weekend I had the privilege of being able to attend my good friend Matt's ordination in Jackson, MN.  I'd not been to an ordination before, and the experience was pretty powerful.

Ordination is the process by which a minister of word and sacrament (Pastor) is blessed and sent into world to serve God, others and the church.  I was privileged to be a part of the cloud of witnesses that affirmed Matt in his vocation, witnessed his affirmation of the tenets of ordained ministry, and celebrated our connectedness as members of the body of Christ through the eucharist.

This experience is particularly meaningful because I too am preparing for a vocation of ministry.  In about three years, God willing, I will be ordained.  This is a long road and not easy.  Some days I feel like I am going to drown in the sheer academic workload.  In the midst of that I will need to adhere to the standards set up by my ordaining body, the Rocky Mountain Synod, and prove theological competency.  I also have a yearlong internship in my future and two semesters at Luther Seminary.  But being able to celebrate and witness Matt's ordination gives me further passion to pursue my own.

Matt was ordained into a call at a parish in suburban Madison, WI.  This is not the sort of call to which I feel drawn, so my discernment process right now is essentially a process of elimination.  More on that at another time.

Amy and Matt.  Jackson, MN.