evotional: Thursday, January 7, 2010

As my beloved rector had told me in seminary, being ordained is not about serving God perfectly but about serving God visibly, allowing other people to learn whatever they can from watching you rise and fall. “You probably won’t be much worse than people,” he said, “and you certainly won’t be any better, but you will have to let people look at you. You will have to let them see you as you are.”

~ BB Taylor, Leaving Church

During worship this Sunday we will ordain and install elders and deacons in the class of 2012. These members of the church have been identified as those who have gifts for leadership and the willingness to serve. As the above quote suggests, serving as a church officer is not about being a perfect Christian (especially since there is no such thing!); it is about being willing to share yourself and your faith with others through service.

In fact, that is what we are all called to do, in one way or another. Created and blessed by God, we each bring our gifts to this community, enabling the Holy Spirit to work in and through us so that together we make up the body of Christ and together we serve Christ by caring for each other and for the community outside our church walls.

I hope you will join us on Sunday at 10a.m. We will remember Jesus' baptism as well as our own and welcome new elders and deacons into leadership. Worship will be followed by a special coffee hour during which you can enjoy the fellowship of this particular community of faith.

See you in church!