Ordination Anniversary

Yesterday was the 16th Anniversary of my ordination at the Southport Conference. We were received into full Connexion in what was then the Floral Hall in the afternoon. I remember the stage was very hot with all the lights on us, and Brian Thornton preached, who was Vice President that year.


The Hartley Victoria College ordination was only up the road at Leyland Road Methodist Church. A wonderful place to be ordained. I can still remember the service vividly. It was awe inspiring, a bit frightening, and most of all life changing. Little me a minister! Wow. I remember my lovely congregations from the Ashton Circuit arriving on a coach, the noisiest coach party present. I remember going off for chips afterwards.


16 years on, five appointments on, a few bruises on and quite a lot of battering on, I am still here. Some of my friends ordained with me have gone on to do other forms of ministry. I still feel called to be in the mad church, and I pray this afternoon for those on a high and filled with the Spirit of God today as hands are laid on them, that the ministry ahead can be focussed and grounded and most of all enjoyed.

I recall these words given to me in 1999 which I need to revisit often, especially when it is hard:

CALLED TO SOMETHING SMALLER

We are not ordaining you to ministry; that happened at your baptism.

We are not ordaining you to be a caring person; you are already called to that.

We are not ordaining you to serve the Church in committees, activities, organisation; that is already implied in your membership.

We are not ordaining you to become involved in social issues, ecology, race, politics, revolution, for that is laid upon every Christian.

We are ordaining you to something smaller and less spectacular: to read and interpret those sacred stories of our community, so that they speak a word to people today; to remember and practice those rituals and rites of meaning that in their poetry address human beings at the level where change operates; to foster in community through word and sacrament that encounter with truth which will set men and women free to minister as the body of Christ.

We are ordaining you to the ministry of the word and sacraments and pastoral care. God grant you grace not to betray but uphold it, not to deny but affirm it, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.