Pastor Angie's In-Spire-ations April 2018
You have blessed me beyond words! Chris and I are so grateful for your outpouring of support as I headed into the last major hurdle in my 7-year journey toward ordination. I could feel every prayer as I entered the interview room that day. I am so grateful that God has blessed us with a home church that raised us up into ministry and a new church family that welcomed us so readily and has given me the grace to grow into the role of the deacon.
I have had a lot of questions, so let me answer the most common ones.
[1] What’s the difference between an elder and a deacon?
Elders and Deacons are considered to be in equal ordination. Our educational requirements are the same, but we are called to different orders. Elders are ordained to Word, Service, Order and Sacrament. They are usually lead and associate pastors in the church and are charged with administering the church and overseeing the Sacraments along with many other duties. Elders are itinerant, which means they move around.
Deacons are ordained to Word, Service, Compassion and Justice. The majority of us are appointed beyond the local church for our primary appointment. We are required to find our own appointment and it must be cleared by the Bishop and cabinet. My primary appointment is Common Grace Ministries. If we are appointed outside of the church, we are also required to have a secondary appointment in a local church because our role is to connect the church and the world. Trinity is my secondary appointment.
[2] Does this mean you are leaving to have your own church?
No, I’m here as long as you will allow me to stay and God doesn’t call me elsewhere. Deacons are not itinerant like elders. We move when, either we request a move or the church requests we be removed. I will serve with you and Common Grace as long as God has me here.
[3] Do we call you reverend now?
Actually, we earn that title and we are licensed by the state when we are commissioned. While we are in commissioning, we are provisional deacons or provisional elders. When we are ordained, we are deacons or elders in full connection. You can still call me Pastor Angie or Angie. You won’t see a change in what I am doing at Common Grace Ministries or Trinity. I am already being called to serve on projects at the district or conference level and have been asked to serve on the North Central Jurisdictional team for the 2020 as the mission and accessibility coordinator. That happens because we are all asked to serve our orders as well as the local church.
[4] When is your ordination?
June 9th on the Saturday of Annual Conference in Indianapolis around 11 or so. You are all welcome to come, but if you are unable to make the trip, it will be live-streamed at www.inumc.org I hope you can catch the ceremony…not just for me, but because it is an amazing worship service. My call came during that ceremony on June 11, 2011.
God bless you and thanks for being so supportive. It means so very much to me and to Chris.