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In Iowa, United Methodist ordinations take place during Annual Conference, which is the once a year gathering when all the ministers and a good number of lay people get together to talk and vote about stuff. Since it's a big group, it's held in a coliseum. Sunday morning worship is held there, too, so if you're a relative of someone who is getting ordained it's a good idea to arrive early or you won't be able to see anything.
We got there early enough to get good seats, though, so we could also see pretty well on our own.
dkw's fellow pastors were very excited about her joining their ranks.
(Okay, that applause was for all the new ministers, not just for her. But when they were reading the names of the canidates for ordination, one of the pastors who had been leading the rest of the service gave a very definite "Mmmm-HMMMM!" after dkw's name was read, not realizing her wireless mike was still on.)
Anyway, I am very proud of my sister, and am sure she will take the words of the sermon to heart and make a difference not just in the church, but in the world. She will have very limited, if any, internet service for the next week, so she might not see this for awhile...
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United Methodist pastors serve a congregation as probationary members for three years after graduating seminary, before being ordained. And Dana served for the last two years of seminary as well, so in effect she's been a pastor for five years. Now she is in full membership and ordination as an Elder in the church... she's official.
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Congratulations, dkw! It's very different from my cousin's husband's ordination (Lutheran), but very interesting as well! Thanks for the pictures, ElJay.
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Yay, dkw! That's the first good news I've heard all day. Man... I should have come here sooner. Thank you for brightening what's left of my day just by knowing you were becoming something you deserve. Congrats! Now we must have cake and ice cream... and, if it's an ice cream cake, all the better.
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>>one of the pastors who had been leading the rest of the service gave a very definite "Mmmm-HMMMM!" after dkw's name was read, not realizing her wireless mike was still on.<<
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quote:one of the pastors who had been leading the rest of the service gave a very definite "Mmmm-HMMMM!" after dkw's name was read, not realizing her wireless mike was still on
Nope, that was definitely for Dana. And she wasn't the only one who made a nice "noise of approval." I thought it was only audible down in the "pit area" where the elder-candidates and their lay "sponsors" were seated, but apparently that first one went over the PA system. It was echoed by a few people down on the floor too. Dana is very well liked by her peers, obviously. I think these were folks from Preaching Academy who were doing that.
It was a great ceremony. The speech/sermon was by a guy from S. Africa who was clergy to Nelson Mandela when he was in prison. In addition to telling the newly ordained to make a difference in the world, he had some choice words for all of us to take to heart.
I don't expect Dana to have much online time until maybe even next week, but this is a VERY COOL thread and I'll let her know that she's been getting lots of congratulations.