As faithful readers know, I don’t publish much about my current personal life outside of anecdotes about ministry setting or past exploits. But in this case, I’d like to make an exception. Feel free to scroll on if you are bored.
I’m a United Methodist pastor. Fulfilling a call to ministry via Ordination in the United Methodist Church is about a decade long process from clean start to final finish.
I began my call to ministry process in June 1998. I met with all the mentors and committees, got the education (Bachelors in Religion and Masters of Divinity), interned/worked at five churches, and I was commissioned into the ordination process in June 2006. After four years of pastoral ministry, I am now at the final stages of that process, called “full connection” for those with the team jerseys reading.
My Ordination interview is tomorrow (December 1st). Here’s what will go down on that date:
- Interviewing Committee: At around 9am CST, I will meet with a group of 6-8 clergy and laity who are thoroughly familiar with my materials, gifts, and personality. They interview me and issue a recommendation to the full board as to whether to ordain me as a full Elder or not.
- Executive Committee: Afterword, I will meet with the Executive Committee of the Board of Ordained Ministry (12 people in various forms of Board leadership) to reflect on the process, answer further questions, and satisfy the leadership that the interviewing committee has judged me thoroughly.
- Full Board: Later that afternoon, the full Board of Ordained Ministry (I think its between 40-60 people) will receive the recommendations, debate, and vote. I will receive a phone call late in the day on Tuesday telling me the results.
While that isn’t the utter end of the process (there’s a vote by the full amassed clergy in the Conference in May along with the Ordination service), this is the final step that is the hardest and most stressful IMO.
So…prayers, good karma, smoke signals, kind thoughts, and meditations on the Force would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
(pictured is fellow Methoblogger Will Deuel being commissioned…it came up on Google Images as I searched for “United Methodist Ordination”…neat huh?)
praying for you! (just don't mention "karma" in your BOOM interview…)
My prayers are with you. I'm a PH that just went through that process with my spouse last winter. The Rev was very nervous but, of course, everything went well. I'm sure the same experience awaits you.
Peace.
Good luck, mate.
One day I'll ask you what this all suggests for a theology of ministry.
Blessings
my prayers are with you dear friend. you are the best of what the methodist church has to offer and i'm so blessed to call you friend. all my love.