Greg's Ordination

My husband was ordained on Saturday. You might wonder what that actually means. Well, I thought Wikipedia said it well, so here's what they wrote about Protestant ordinations:

In most Protestant churches, ordination to the pastoral office is the rite by which their various churches:

• recognize and confirm that an individual has been called by God to ministry,
• acknowledges that the individual has gone through a period of discernment and training related to this call, and
• authorizes that individual to take on the office of ministry.

Greg first met with our church elders and then a council of ordained men who spoke with him about his calling and his theological beliefs. Our church held a service to officially ordain him on Saturday. It was such an encouraging time for us as our friends gathered around and affirmed Greg's calling and giftings for ministry.

A friend who leads the music at another church led a few songs (To God be the Glory, Everlasting God, and Your Grace is Enough). One of Greg's mentors here in Boston read a few appropriate Scripture passages, even one in Koine Greek (the original language of the New Testament). Greg shared his story of how God called him to believe in Christ and to commit his life to ministry to the Church, and our associate pastor asked him to share some of his theological beliefs. Our pastor shared a brief message with Greg (and me) from 1 Timothy 4:16. "Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers." And then the church spent some time praying over both of us.

We're immensely thankful for our church family in Cambridge as they have embraced us and encouraged us onward in our calling to ministry! I forgot to take a picture during the actual service, but here's a picture of the joyful ordainee just after the service. (Sorry it's blurry.)

I am so proud of my husband and how he has relied on the grace of God to come this far. We're really excited to see what role God might have for us next.