well, friends, my time is finally here. tomorrow i begin a two-day interview process with the board of ordained ministry (boom) to see if they believe i am ready to be ordained as an elder in the united methodist church. i am sure it is intended to be a grace-filled process, but i'm telling you it feels more like what the photo above depicts.
this is only going to be another chapter in what is a long story already. i think, in some way, i've always felt called by God, i just haven't always known what to do with that. it wasn't until things began to fall together my freshman year in college that i began to understand my calling and articulate it as a calling to ordained ministry in the united methodist church. that was 1994. after college i began the process. that was 1998. here i am, ten years later, and i stand on the verge of this important interview.
as i reflect on those 10 years, i recognize that they have been awesome. sometimes, without question, there have been moments when it felt like i was jumping through hoops for a system more than growing in a process of preparing for ministry. but more often than not it has been an incredible 10 years of answering my call, learning about myself, and being in ministry here in new jersey. i have no idea how my interviews are going to go, or what the board will tell me this week, but i do know that i am in the right place, that God has called me to this process, and that i am better for having gone through it.
i will be at a retreat center the next two days, answering questions about my polity, my theology, my preaching and my teaching, so i won't be able to blog. i'll be back on wednesday, and i'll let you know then how i feel it went. until then, if you think of it, say a little prayer for me, not that i will 'pass' or anything, but that i will have a peace during these interviews that will really help me to just be me, which is all i really want to do. i'm ready. fire!
still in process,
greg.
Comments
Love you always.
P. S. Previous blogs...Bengal colors and tigers???:)
Just wanted to let you know you are in my prayers as you go through this process. I know for sure that you will more than measure up to the standards of the interviewers, and this grueling retreat will be followed by much celebration and playing of 'vito's ordination song' on repeat. (and then we can try to get sufjan to write its glorious sequel, 'greg's ordination song'!)
all the best,
pegan
cannot wait to hear all about it when you get back.
I think it will be a bit less painful than the picture you posted. just a bit.
You have been in my prayers.
Joe