Within a matter of just about one month, our Presbytery will
have the opportunity to celebrate the ordination of two individuals, and will
have installed them to positions of pastoral leadership in two different
congregations. What a joy!
We talk about people "going into the ministry,"
"receiving a call," "becoming a Reverend," and many other
things. What does it really mean,
though, to be a minister? Do you have to be "ordained" to do it? Are only ministers
"ministers"...what about ruling elders, deacons, Sunday School
teachers, educators, health workers, youth leaders, plumbers, etc.?
Over the years I often have appreciated the pithy sayings
that I've found in the writings of theologian and author, Frederick Buechner. Here are some of his thoughts about what a
"minister" is...from his wonderful book, Wishful Thinking: A Seeker's
ABC (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993):
"There are three basic views
(of what a Minister is):
1.
Ministers are Nice People. They preach good
sermons, but they're not like those religious fanatics who think they've got to
say a prayer every time they pay a call.
2.
Ministers have their heads in the clouds. If you should ever happen to use bad language
in their presence, you apologize.
3.
Ministers are as anachronistic as alchemists or
chimney sweeps. Like Tiffany glass or the Queen of England, their function is
primarily decorative.
"The first ministers were the
twelve disciples... When Jesus sent the twelve out into the world, his
instructions were simple. He told them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal
(Luke 9:2), with the implication that to do either right was in effect to do
both. Fortunately for the world in
general and the church in particular, the ability to do them is not dependent
on either moral character or I.Q. To do them in the name of Christ is to be a
minister."
Lorrie Cooney and Mario Bolivar didn't become
"ministers" when we ordained them as teaching elders. (Okay, Mario won't "count" until
this Thursday afternoon... but you know what I mean.) We simply recognized the gifts for particular
forms of ministry that God already had entrusted to them, and we commissioned
them to live out those ministries in Parish, NY and Skaneateles, NY
respectively. We Presbyterian and Reformed folks believe the each of us and all
of us have been "called" to "ministry," and the symbol of
that call was our baptism. What form(s) our
particular ministries have taken are as varied as are each one of us.
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