On Ordination as distinct from lay ministry

Yesterday I had a discussion about ordination with a minister who works with a large, commissioned, predominantly lay team. The inevitable question arose regarding the difference between lay and ordained callings. The minister's response was plain, "I have thought about that, but I am what I am and how they understand their ministry is not up to me."

For me, the decision to seek ordination was for the reason that the work God was calling to me to do was going beyond my authority and my training. As such the process towards ordination has been equally as important for me as the end result. Yet I have friends that feel called to develop their training but retain lay occupations and not seek ordination. How are we to understand this development in God's activity in the world?

The key difference raised by the minister was recognition by other denominations. It is a great sign for ecumenicalism that certain priests are willing to use UCA ministers as a standby for emergencies as the UCA's ordination is into the church universal. This is different to that of our lay specified ministers, as they are commissioned only within the context of a congregation or ministry.

Perhaps I'm finally coming to an understanding of ordination that ties things together a bit. So here's a few points (any discussion)

Ordination is an act of obedience of the church to God where it sets aside people for spiritual leadership.

As such, it is a celebration of the activities of God in the past, present and hope for God's activity in the future of the church.

The call on the individual, and the church's recognition of that call, are both key to ordination.

As such, there is recognition of God's activity in the prior life of the ordinand, celebration of the presence of God in the present, and an anticipation of God's further work in the ordinand.

This is only a developing thing, but it shows the need to hold together that ordination is an action of the church, but it is an action performed in obedience that is a sign of faith and celebration in God. As the final minister put it, " I can still feel those hands upon my head." In ordination we have a recognition of the faith that the church has in God when they accept people to fill this style of leadership, and the faith that the individual holds to accept it. It is obvious talking to these ministers from many different styles of placements, that ordination serves as a constant reminder of this faith that serves as a touchstone by which their whole ministry is shaped.

I am thankful to all those who assisted me in these discussions.

More thoughts on Ordination

We did something a bit different today. As a group, we discussed ordination with two ministers at once. The strange thing is every time we do this, people seem to think its some type of test. Is there really one right answer for this question? There is an interplay of activities, but in hearing two people with very different views of ordination there was still remarkable agreement.

One of the ministers had a view of ordination very much in line with prior discussions, with views of ordination in terms of a change in relationship with the church and admittance to a community where the minister submits to the discipline of God and the church in concrete ways.

The second minister had a different view of ordination, very much based on the service. To this minister ordination is a commitment to the Father, through the call of the Son and the equipping of the Holy Spirit. As such, ordination is a celebration of the historical, current, and ongoing work of God in the world. For this person, the vows were less important than the response, "With God's help I will." So, the focus is turned from the work of the person to the work of God in ordination.

This then has to live in dialogue with the sad fact that people do fail in ministry. Does this mean that our theology of ministry has to neglect the activity of God? If we understand God as being effective and infallible, the great temptation is either to place God under obligation to act in certain ceremonies or to deny God's activity in ceremonies when things don't work out as we would expect or wish. Do we really wish to make God so small are target that God just falls into the background?

Of course, to me, the history of a covenant people shows an appreciation of God working through brokenness. All of humanity share in this brokenness, and both our discernment and responses to God are subject to our nature. Maybe at this stage, the journey of ministry may be analogised to the parable of the sower. Humanity's responses to grace are notoriously variable.

Finally, we spoke on the fact that ordination is entry into an order, a vocation rather than a profession. It is to a position of difference within a community. Partially, it reminds me of what it is like to be an effective boarding master: a boarding master needs to be open enough (and enough of a member of the community) to be approachable, but also separate in order to exercise the particular authority given by a school.

Then we spoke on the signs of ordination: the alb, the stole, the cross, the collar. What does it mean to be ordained and to choose not to adopt any symbols? Is the use of symbols for a time and place, for a purpose? So, what do I choose to wear and when? I must admit I'm pretty minimalist, but I am starting to consider this in addition to the other uses of symbols of authority.

Another Poem

Can I Pray for a Stranger

Can I pray for a stranger?
Across the carriage
with no sobs
pain appearing only in her eyes
slowly it escapes
to be dabbed away with a tissue.

Can I pray for a stranger?
So young and yet so hurt
so I pray
and poetry leaks into my mind.

Can I pray for a stranger?
no words
minimal looks
there's nothing I can do for her.

So I pray for a stranger
the train slows down for a stop
a young man walks in
enfolding her in his arms.

I should pray for the stranger
with problems not for me to solve
a reminder I am not the world's saviour
the puppet recognising the puppeteer.