A Vast Operation

Last night, I was honored to preach on the occassion of the ordination of Ira Jackson to the sacred order of priests. In so doing I wondered aloud about why it is that we speak of all baptized Christians as ministers. saying in part,

Why in the world would Jesus need such a vast operation—every single baptized Christian working in ministry while deacons serve as icons of service to others, taking the church to the world and bringing back the needs of the world to the church; while being built up, encouraged, equipped and so on by priests who are serving in the ministry of Word and Sacrament; and all of this taking place under the oversight of bishops, the chief pastors of a diocese—isn’t that a little much?

Well, it would be, if Jesus was concerned about the people who gather each week to worship at Grace Church in Sandersville. And this kingdom of priests who are made up of all Christians would even be far too much if Jesus only concern was those who are in all the Christian churches in the world each Sunday, or even each Christmas and Easter. But this would be a very narrow view of Jesus’ compassion for each and every person on this planet.

Jesus’ vision for the kingdom of God is bigger, grander, more all encompassing than something like the present state of affairs. Jesus’ vision is that all of the harassed and helpless find green pastures. Jesus teaches clearly that there are folks wandering around aimlessly like sheep without a shepherd. These poor people are trying to find peace in their lives through alcohol abuse, and abusing drugs both legal and illegal, as well as through unhealthy relationships, and lots of other things that will never bring rest to their weary souls. Jesus’ vision is that every one of these lost sheep is brought to still waters.

It was an honor and I am thankful to Ira for asking me to serve in this way at the ordination service. The full text of the sermon is online here: When the Spirit Rested on Them—An Ordination Sermon for Ira Jackson.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Jay's Ordination

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This is to everyone who helped put on the wonderful ordination for Jay Weldon from Janis and Audrey who worked early, to Françoise and Mary Kay who set up the reception, to all who brought food, to the readers and servers, to Debbie and Carol and the King of Peace Ensemble for such a great job on hard-practiced music, to the Bishop and Jan Louttit and clergy of the Diocese who came to support Jay, to the Rev. Don Waring who flew down from NYC to preach, to Mary Kay, Pallie and Victoria who were still cleaning up after 10 p.m. Thank you. Here are a few photos of the event. The photo page with all the pictures as quick-loading thumbs connected to larger photos is online here: Jay's ordination to the Priesthood.

Ordination, not graduation or coronation

Tonight at 6:15 p.m. we will host a worship service as Bishop Henry Louttit, some of my fellow priests and myself will participate in ordaining Jay Weldon to the priesthood. The Rev. Don Waring will be the preacher. Don is the 14th rector of Grace Church on Broadway in New York City, a church known, among other things, for its preaching. Jay is serving there now as he attends General Seminary for a one year masters program. Debbie and Carol and the King of Peace Ensemble have worked hard on the music. I know it will be a wonderful service you will not want to miss.

But as I think of how to set what will take place this evening, I recall some earlier words of mine. Last August, I had an opportunity to pray and think through what I feel about ordination as I prepared to preach a sermon for Loren Hague's ordination to the priesthood. In that sermon I said some things I want to repeat here, but think "Jay" when you read "Loren."

Now when we get the idea of ordination wrong, it comes across more like a graduation at best or a coronation at worst. But despite all appearances, this night is not about Loren Hague. This is not a night to celebrate Loren, to extol her virtues, or whatever else we might do if we get off track thinking about Loren. This night is about The Good Shepherd who is very concerned for his flock. Jesus looks out and he sees the trouble within the flock and sees many who are not yet in the flock. And in response to the needs of the world and the needs of the church, the Holy Trinity forms different people with various gifts so that the whole flock may be nourished and cared for.

This night is not about Loren alone. What we do tonight began not with the Holy Spirit speaking to Loren’s heart. What we do tonight began with the needs of the world and the needs of the church so that this night is just part of a much larger plan for reaching a lost and hurting world that is the work of every person present.

The full text of that earlier sermon is online here: A Good Shepherd.

In response to the needs of a lost and hurting world, God gave Jay Weldon gifts for the ministry of the priesthood. Tonight, we give thanks for that call and those gifts and ask for the Holy Spirit to fill Jay with grace and power, and make him a priest in the Church.

Jay is part of God's plan for reaching out in love to those in need with the Good News of Jesus Christ. He is an important part of God's plan, but only a part. So what we do tonight does not let any of us off the hook for doing what God has called us to do. In fact, Jay's ordination is a time for each of us to reflect on whether we have in our own ways lived into the gifts God has given us. Then we too leave the worship service empowered to live into the call has for us, whether it be as teacher, or sailor, or mom, or....

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor

Ordination Photos

Jay Weldon's ordination service last night was a wonderful liturgy with incredible support from Carol on the piano, Debbie singing the litany and the whole ensemble who sang beautifully. The service was very well attended as everyone joined together in prayer for God to bestow the ministry of the deacon on Jay. We are thankful to Bishop Louttit and his wife Jan for their ongoing support of our congregation and to all who came out for the worship service.

We have a lot more photos in quick-loading thumbnails clinked to larger versions of each photo here: Ordination Photos.

Make Him a Deacon

Tonight at 6:15 p.m. Bishop Henry Louttit will be at King of Peace. God willing and the people consenting, he will ordain Jay Weldon as a deacon. Like all those who seek to become a priest, Jay is expected to serve as a deacon for a period of no less than six months and typically a little longer.

Deacons have a servant ministry of caring for the poor. To help Jay live into this role, and not just in name only, he has taken over King of Peace's benevolence ministry for the remaining six weeks of his time at King of Peace. As such, he is in daily contact with people in Camden County who are in need. He is providing some direct assistance from King of Peace and guidance as to where other assistance may be found.

The service tonight makes plain the role of the deacon. At the crucial point of laying on hands for ordination, the Bishop will pray,

Father, through Jesus Christ your Son, give your Holy Spirit to Jay; fill him with grace and power, and make him a deacon in your Church.

The Bishop continues
Make him, O Lord, modest and humble, strong and constant, to observe the discipline of Christ. Let his life and teaching so reflect your commandments, that through him many may come to know you and love you. As your Son came not to be served but to serve, may this deacon share in Christ’s service, and come to the unending glory of him who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever.

The People in a loud voice respond Amen.

Come tonight to add your prayers to those of the congregation and our Bishop as God makes Jay a deacon in Christ's one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church.

Married Man Ordained as Catholic Priest

Father Lowe gives a blessing after his ordination.

A week ago today, the Rev. Bill Lowe became the first married priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles. He didn't do it by getting married against his church's wishes. Father Lowe was ordained by the archbishop and with the consent of the Vatican through a loophole which allows married Lutheran and Episcopal priests to become Catholic priests and remain married. The whole thing is explained much better at California Catholic Daily with their story Exception to the rule: Los Angeles archdiocese ordains first married priest.

Cardinal Roger Mahoney put it this way,

The practice of ordaining such persons in Germany goes back at least to the pontificate of Pope Pius XII. This practice is not so much an example of relaxing the discipline of priestly celibacy as it is an instance of an extraordinary act of compassion on the part of the Church in regard to someone whose whole life had been spent in both preparation for, and the exercise of, pastoral ministry.

Lowe has been married for 44 years and has 3 children and five grandchildren. He will certainly bring different life experience to his new ministry than his fellow Catholic priests. As an Episcopal priest in his 22nd year of marriage, I have no interest in a future as a Catholic priest but neither do I have anything against the idea. I knew of this provision which has led to more than 70 married men becoming Catholic priests in the past 27 years and I thought I would share it with y'all.

Certainly, married clergy are the historic norm in the eastern churches with an unbroken succession of married priests in Greek and Russian Orthodox and other churches in that part of the world. So married priests have always been so. I'm just intrigued by how this practice, though a rare exception, may or may not form a precedent for future actions by the world's largest Christian denomination. On this point Cardinal Mahoney adds,

This is not a precedent that implies any diminishing of the value of celibacy in priestly ministry, but an instance in which the Church acts in an exceptional way to strengthen and ennoble the gifts brought by its newest members.

My one thought is that Cardinal Mahoney's words notwithstanding, it will be difficult for those in Father Lowe's church and the clergy alongside whom he serves not to see this as setting a new precedent. Catholic children who see him with his wife at church functions will grow up seeing a married priest as a model of ministry within their church and may find it odd to learn that this is, other than a loophole, against the norm, if not rules.

AskthePriest has a previous post on priestly celibacy at Clerical Nookie.

peace,
Frank+
The Rev. Frank Logue, Pastor