More Comments on Ordination

Last Thursday was the day for ordination. The checklist was completed:

• At least four years of full-time ministry service, check.
• No major moral failures in that time, check.
• Course of study for ordination completed, check.
• Meet with ordination board, check.
• Pick parents up from the airport, check.
• Buy a suit, check.
• Remember how to tie a tie, check.
• Show up on time, check.

Quick Rundown of the night:

• Arrived way early for the pictures.
• Took pictures and went to the restroom only to realize my fly was down for all the pics (it was not gaping open thank goodness)
• We lined up and waited for the song Holiness Unto The Lord to play but the guy leading us must have gotten jumpy because we entered during "The Comforter Has Come", we may be the first class to do that.
• We sat on the front row, and as they called our name, we stood as a guy recited a brief bio about us. Mine got jacked up pretty badly. Wrong college was mentioned and it was stated that this was my second church plant. Oh well, no real harm done.
• We sat through a sermon, good but rather long IMO.
• Then they marched us and our spouses onto the stage to kneal at an altar facing the congreggation. There were six ordinands and two folks who were transfering their ordination (8 total).
• One by one a big wig (General Superintendent) placed his hands on us and prayed an ordination prayer over us, then if we we chose, another person could pray over us.
• I chose my dad to pray, I remember very little of what he said as I was crying like a baby, but I do remember a part of the prayer where he asked God to help me be a good Father and Husband.
• We stood up after everyone had been prayed for, well almost all of us stood. The dude next to me actually passed out when he went to stand up. It was one of the funny moments that you can't laugh at. He recovered nicely.
• I will mention that Heather's feet went to sleep because we were kneeling so long and she nearly pulled me to the ground as she was using me to pull herself up.
• After we stood up, the GS went down the line and handed each of us our "credentials" certificate, but he did not hand me mine, he actually called my dad forward and had him hand me the certificate. It may seem like a small thing, but neither of us saw this coming. Dad was crying and even had that "bitter beer face" thing going. It was awesome, just pure unihibited emotion. We embraced and I heard more than a few sniffles in the crowd. Definately a moment I won't forget and the highlight of the ceremony for both of us.
• We had a nice reception with cake and punch and snapped a lot of pictures.
• That sums it up from my point of view, very cool night for me and my family.