Thanks for this. I’m in the years-long process of becoming an Episcopal priest — at 67 — entering seminary full time this fall. I too chafed at first at what seemed to be the unnecessarily prolonged process. Be careful, don’t rush, sure, but years? While I do think there are ways the process could activate the candidate more quickly (as clinical pastoral education does), the care and carefulness is real. Already I’m a different person I was from the start and I will be different from the me of today when I’m, God willing, one day ordained.
My spouse is a UMC elder who spent years on her conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry. I came to appreciate the process as I saw it confirm the calls of many good people. But, as far as the unsuitable candidates went, the time alone helped expose the reasons why ordained ministry was not a good fit. It protected the denomination from the small number of wolves that are always there.
I love this whole article. I really do. But the very last line got a laugh out of me. "I love you and there is nothing you can do about it" rings very similar to one of my favorite tumblr memes: "You will be okay. This is a threat."
As a former Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry in the OR/ID conference, your words resonated with me. For many years I had the privilege and awesome responsibility of "vetting" candidates for ordained ministry and making both positive and negative recommendations to the conference elders. I'm not sure anyone not having served in this capacity can understand the gravitas. The hours of prayer and discernment spent on each and every candidate. I remember revisiting a candidate in their church with a small group of delegates from the board and coming away with a deep personal sadness that this person was not meant for ordained ministry. As the delegates sat in the boarding area at the airport, one of the members commented that if there were no red flags she would vote to confirm. I asked her if that is where we as a church had "set the bar"?
The church has to do better and hold candidates to a higher standard while recognizing the inherent flaws of being human.
Full disclosure, this song was written (along with many others) out of our Resurrection community (the church Beau serves at- he did not ask me to post this btw :)
Like you, Beau, I initially bristled at some of the requirements I will need to fulfill in order to be ordained in the UMC. That was especially true when they told me the amount of educational requirements I still needed to meet (hello, I already have an MDiv, though not a from a Methodist school).
But, I have come to appreciate the process. It is care. It is discernment. It is how I know this is a calling and not just something I’m doing for fun!
Thanks for this. I’m in the years-long process of becoming an Episcopal priest — at 67 — entering seminary full time this fall. I too chafed at first at what seemed to be the unnecessarily prolonged process. Be careful, don’t rush, sure, but years? While I do think there are ways the process could activate the candidate more quickly (as clinical pastoral education does), the care and carefulness is real. Already I’m a different person I was from the start and I will be different from the me of today when I’m, God willing, one day ordained.
Welcome to the UMC! Hope you find a home here. We need people like you.
Welcome to the UMC! We will be blessed by your ministry!
Thank you! 🙏🥰🙋♂️
Thank you for your inspirational words. Those of us who have left our mainline protestant churches may just be back thanks to your encouragement.
My spouse is a UMC elder who spent years on her conference’s Board of Ordained Ministry. I came to appreciate the process as I saw it confirm the calls of many good people. But, as far as the unsuitable candidates went, the time alone helped expose the reasons why ordained ministry was not a good fit. It protected the denomination from the small number of wolves that are always there.
I love this whole article. I really do. But the very last line got a laugh out of me. "I love you and there is nothing you can do about it" rings very similar to one of my favorite tumblr memes: "You will be okay. This is a threat."
As a former Chair of the Board of Ordained Ministry in the OR/ID conference, your words resonated with me. For many years I had the privilege and awesome responsibility of "vetting" candidates for ordained ministry and making both positive and negative recommendations to the conference elders. I'm not sure anyone not having served in this capacity can understand the gravitas. The hours of prayer and discernment spent on each and every candidate. I remember revisiting a candidate in their church with a small group of delegates from the board and coming away with a deep personal sadness that this person was not meant for ordained ministry. As the delegates sat in the boarding area at the airport, one of the members commented that if there were no red flags she would vote to confirm. I asked her if that is where we as a church had "set the bar"?
The church has to do better and hold candidates to a higher standard while recognizing the inherent flaws of being human.
If you’d like to hear a song version of the Wesley Covenant Prayer, check out I Am Yours (The Wesley Covenant) from COR Worship Collective: https://open.spotify.com/track/1yuQa8xadikEMmX6SKVu0M?si=UoG-jjvHTKmChYcm1Mrxrw
Full disclosure, this song was written (along with many others) out of our Resurrection community (the church Beau serves at- he did not ask me to post this btw :)
Like you, Beau, I initially bristled at some of the requirements I will need to fulfill in order to be ordained in the UMC. That was especially true when they told me the amount of educational requirements I still needed to meet (hello, I already have an MDiv, though not a from a Methodist school).
But, I have come to appreciate the process. It is care. It is discernment. It is how I know this is a calling and not just something I’m doing for fun!