Civic Hall, Wolverhampton
2nd - 9th July 2009 |
Host Districts of The Chester & Stoke on Trent, Wolverhampton & Shrewsbury and Birmingham Districts |
This morning the Conference hall became the setting for the worship. The President suggested that we had come to a ‘typical Methodist morning service’. We had hymns & songs, prayers & readings, a sermon - even an offering, all very typical indeed! But also there were people from every district in the Methodist Church from the Shetlands in the North to the Channel Islands in the South – the whole Connexion represented, there were people from every continent – represented by our partners in the world church & representing many denominations. So maybe it wasn’t such a typical morning service after all....
The scripture readings were 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 & Mark 6:1-13 – and the President drew in his sermon from the text ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.... for whenever I am weak, then I am strong.’ Most of his sermon was addressed to those who were to be ‘received into Full Connexion’ – which was the formal business of the morning within the context of our worship. 60 of these were then to be ordained as presbyters later in the afternoon, 8 were received as presbyters by transfer from other churches – having been previously ordained in those other denominations, 2 were received as presbyters by reinstatement – having been previously ordained in the Methodist Church & had spent some time away from the Methodist Church before returning and 5 were received to be ordained as deacons also later in the afternoon.
The ‘reception into Full Connexion’ is a formal part of our business when those who are to serve as ordained presbyters or deacons enter into a covenant relationship with the Church – to fulfil the responsibilities & duties of those orders of ministry & take on the discipline of the Church. Those who have not already been ordained would be ordained ‘by prayer and the laying on of hands’ at one of 7 different ordination services taking place across the region this afternoon. Although it is only a very short part of our business – a sentence, as the President pointed out – it is a very significant & poignant moment, with Conference giving its assent to it’s side of this relationship by a standing vote (we only vote in this way for very special & significant parts of our business – we also did it yesterday when we voted on the new President & Vice-President).
The President reminded us that it is for all of us, not just Presbyters & Deacons, to determine how God’s love works in & through us. God calls all of us. Just as those to be ordained will be changed by what is goes on in the worship today, so we all should be changed – in every act of worship because worship is about what God can do through you if you let yourself be transformed by the love of God.
There were many different contributions to worship besides the President – the Vice-President & others led us in prayer; the Vice-President’s 2 young sons took part by lighting the conference candle, prayers & readings; a soloist sang a version of Psalm 139; the Wolverhampton circuit choir led the singing and the Coventry Zimbabwean Fellowship led some joyful & spirited singing as we took up our offering which was for the World Church & MRDF appeal for Sri Lanka.
From the service, we were sent out for the 2nd formal part of our business – the ordination services. I went to one at Coventry Methodist Central Hall, which was pretty full for the occasion. This is always a very special service – not only for those being ordained, but also for their families, friends, members of their churches & all who have been with them on the long journey that has brought them to this point in their lives, and also a special moment for the church as a whole. It is a formal, solemn service – as those who have heard the call to serve God in ordained ministry have that call affirmed as the congregations declare of them ‘They are worthy’ & as they themselves declare their lifelong commitment to this ministry before each is ordained by the laying on of hands. 3 people lay hands on each ordinand – one is the President (either the current or a former President of the Conference) who embodies the Conference’s authority to ordain, one is the ‘assisting minister’ who has been specially chosen by the ordinand and so is different for each person and the other is a presbyter from another country representing the fact that the Church is bigger than these, our own islands.
13 were ordained as Presbyters at the service in Coventry. The President at our service was the Revd Inderjit Bhogal, the Vice-President was our current VP Richard Vautrey, the preacher was Susan Howdle – a past Vice-President (who commented in her sermon that the minster of her own church was among the Ordinands!) and the world church representative was Bishop the Revd Juan Vera from Puerto Rico. Once they have been ordained, the Vice-President presents each with a bible ‘as a sign of the authority committed to you this day to preach the word of God & to celebrate the sacraments’.
Although it is a solemn occasion it is also joyful – and once the ordination has taken place the newly ordained ministers were welcomed with rapturous applause. The service concluded with the celebration of Holy Communion – accompanied with joyful singing & finishing with the closing hymn, Charles Wesley’s wonderful hymn ‘O thou who camest from above’ – really summing up the events of the whole day.
Attending an ordination service is an amazing experience – and it is hard not to be moved or challenged by it. Why not try and attend an ordination service next year? Maybe your own minster – either a Presbyter or Deacon – is due to be ordained soon? Why not support him/her by going along? If the Conference is coming to your area, why not make it a priority to go along & see what happens? However you get here (& you will need a ticket – but they are free!), it will certainly be worth it!
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