Pastor Angie's In-Spire-ations June 2017
One of my favorite praise songs says, “Where you go, I'll go / Where you stay, I'll stay / When you move, I'll move / I will follow you. Who you love, I'll love / How you serve, I'll serve / If this life I lose, I will follow you.” The whole song is great and they sang it for me on my last Sunday at Ligonier as they launched me into min-istry with you all.
This is the season when many of my elder friends, and some of my deacon friends are moving to new appointments within our United Methodist system. I have been asked some questions so I’ll answer those here for everyone who might be curious.
Do deacons get moved like elders? No. Deacons are not itinerate. That means the Bishop doesn’t call us to move to another church. Deacons don’t move unless we ask to move (or you kick me to the curb). We are not guaranteed an appointment by the system and we have to find our own appointments. That means I had to look for a church where I thought I might be a good fit. After much prayer, I chose you and prayed that you would have me. Thank God and thank you that you accepted me. I am happy to say that I have the privilege of staying with you.
Where are you really appointed? That question comes up because I am appointed to two places and that can be a little confusing. Deacons who work beyond the local church are required to have TWO appointments. My primary appointment is to Common Grace Ministries where I work in ministry with the poor. My secondary appointment is here with you. The secondary appointment is not meant to be a second job, as is often misconstrued by churches. It is meant to be an an-chor. The Book of Discipline calls us (deacons) to bring the needs of the world to the church and then equip the people of the church to meet the needs of the world. While you are my anchor, that doesn’t mean that I only bring the needs I see out in the world to you. It is becoming very clear to me that a part of my personal call is to unite the churches in our county to meet the needs.
Are you ordained? Not yet, but with God’s help, I will be. Deacons and Elders have the same educational requirements. While our immediate supervisor in the church is our senior pastor, our ordination is equal. Elders are ordained to Word, Service, Order and Sacrament. Deacons are ordained to Word, Service, Compassion and Justice. The “order” of the church is why we answer to the elder. The buck stops with them.
For both elders and deacons, once we are commissioned (that’s a whole other process!) we serve in a three-year residency in ministry (RIM) process. We have many requirements on each track. I just returned from a required RIM “retreat” where I am happy to say I have been officially advanced to Track 3. That means if all goes well this year and I get through the 31 papers, writing of a Bible study, a deacon project, and ordination interviews, I will be ordained at annual conference in 2018. Not everyone makes it through to ordination the first attempt. We might be doing great ministry, but the Board of Ordained Ministry might see some growing edges they want a pastor to work on be-fore ordination. Rightly so. They are granting a person A LIFETIME OF AUTHORITY within the church. I’m praying I get through, but if not, I will keep following God so that I can be the best dea-con I can possibly be. Please keep me in prayer this year as I get through what feels like the mountain of tasks ahead. It’s all due November 1st and that will come quickly!
Thank you for allowing me to serve with you. I am deeply grateful to God and to you.
Pastor Angie
This is the season when many of my elder friends, and some of my deacon friends are moving to new appointments within our United Methodist system. I have been asked some questions so I’ll answer those here for everyone who might be curious.
Do deacons get moved like elders? No. Deacons are not itinerate. That means the Bishop doesn’t call us to move to another church. Deacons don’t move unless we ask to move (or you kick me to the curb). We are not guaranteed an appointment by the system and we have to find our own appointments. That means I had to look for a church where I thought I might be a good fit. After much prayer, I chose you and prayed that you would have me. Thank God and thank you that you accepted me. I am happy to say that I have the privilege of staying with you.
Where are you really appointed? That question comes up because I am appointed to two places and that can be a little confusing. Deacons who work beyond the local church are required to have TWO appointments. My primary appointment is to Common Grace Ministries where I work in ministry with the poor. My secondary appointment is here with you. The secondary appointment is not meant to be a second job, as is often misconstrued by churches. It is meant to be an an-chor. The Book of Discipline calls us (deacons) to bring the needs of the world to the church and then equip the people of the church to meet the needs of the world. While you are my anchor, that doesn’t mean that I only bring the needs I see out in the world to you. It is becoming very clear to me that a part of my personal call is to unite the churches in our county to meet the needs.
Are you ordained? Not yet, but with God’s help, I will be. Deacons and Elders have the same educational requirements. While our immediate supervisor in the church is our senior pastor, our ordination is equal. Elders are ordained to Word, Service, Order and Sacrament. Deacons are ordained to Word, Service, Compassion and Justice. The “order” of the church is why we answer to the elder. The buck stops with them.
For both elders and deacons, once we are commissioned (that’s a whole other process!) we serve in a three-year residency in ministry (RIM) process. We have many requirements on each track. I just returned from a required RIM “retreat” where I am happy to say I have been officially advanced to Track 3. That means if all goes well this year and I get through the 31 papers, writing of a Bible study, a deacon project, and ordination interviews, I will be ordained at annual conference in 2018. Not everyone makes it through to ordination the first attempt. We might be doing great ministry, but the Board of Ordained Ministry might see some growing edges they want a pastor to work on be-fore ordination. Rightly so. They are granting a person A LIFETIME OF AUTHORITY within the church. I’m praying I get through, but if not, I will keep following God so that I can be the best dea-con I can possibly be. Please keep me in prayer this year as I get through what feels like the mountain of tasks ahead. It’s all due November 1st and that will come quickly!
Thank you for allowing me to serve with you. I am deeply grateful to God and to you.
Pastor Angie