On
Monday, February 25, I met with members of the Board of
Ordained Ministry of the United Methodist Church for a
morning of interviews. In preparation for this time, I
had written a definitive statement of my systematic theology,
a defense of the sacraments, my understanding of an inclusive
church and ministry, and my willingness to enter into
a life of itinerant ministry, serving wherever the Bishop
and Cabinet deem appropriate at any given time. I turned
in two recorded sermons and the manuscripts of those sermons.
I wrote an original Bible study. All this was accompanied
by an evaluation from a church committee called the Lay
Evaluation Committee who had the responsibility to carefully
observe my ministry and offer helpful feedback and correction,
a report from a group of other clergy who paid a site
visit to the church and met with some of the people serving
in leadership roles, another evaluation by a mentor pastor
with whom I have met monthly for three years, a report
from the convener of a Covenant Group with whom I had
also met with monthly for three years, the results of
a psychological exam, a medical exam and a background
check, and a letter of recommendation by my District Superintendent.
Those
doing the interviews had carefully read this paperwork
and listened to the sermons. They had prepared a list
of questions for me to answer, but I did not know what
those questions would be until actually entering the rooms
where three teams did the interviews. The questions were
probing and thoughtful. They asked for clarity on several
areas where I had not expressed myself clearly. Without
a doubt, they wanted me to succeed and gave help where
they could.
And
then we waited. There were three of us being interviewed
that morning. We sat in a beautiful, sunny room at the
Prothro Center at Lake Texoma, supported by colleagues
and sustained by refreshments. We talked of anything we
could think of, except how long it was taking the committee
to make the decisions. Nearly two hours later, each of
us was fetched by a host who walked us in silence to the
building where the interviews had been held. We were ushered
into separate rooms and there, for the three of us, each
team stood and clapped for us, and then offered individual
words of encouragement and affirmation followed by prayer
and hugs all around. Such relief—and yes, tears
filled my eyes.
Not
all of us made it. I have just finished the final three
years of a nearly ten year journey. These last three years
was a probationary process called the “residency
program.” Fourteen entered it together, having been
commissioned in June, 2005. Three dropped quickly for
personal and heartbreaking reasons. Two were told earlier
that they would have to repeat the residency, and another
was delayed for educational reasons. Two more didn’t
get past the interviews—they were “continued”
and will be given instructions for necessary correction
and growth and another opportunity next year. And so we
are now seven. Seven happy people, yet our happiness is
tinged with sadness and concern for our colleagues.
Clearly,
this is a complex process. For good reasons, the United
Methodist Church wants to make sure that their Clergy
are people of both character and competence. Clergy orders
should be free of sexual scandals, and there have been
too many of them exposed in the last few years. Pastoring
churches takes special gifts, a lot of endurance, much
faith, and multiple skills. Not to mention a willingness
to spend years getting credentials and not seeing much
financial reward for all those years of education. Yet
to those of us who are called to this life, there is no
other life that will do. This is it, and we know it. In
that knowing, there is much, much joy.
Thank
you for walking through this with me. I’m truly
grateful and full of resurrection hope. Thanks be to God.
