Commentary: A servant's eye view of ordination June 13, 2005 A UMNS Commentary
By The Rev. Victoria Rebeck* "Go in peace to serve God and your neighbor in all you do." I repeated this benediction to myself again and again as I scooped up my clerical robe and dashed to my car to get to the Minnesota Annual Conference ordination service on June 2. It was my only spoken line in the service and I wanted to get it right. A few months ago I was asked to be the bishop's deacon at ordination. I was thrilled. It would be the first time I had a leadership role in an ordination service, and this would be Bishop Sally Dyck's first ordination. I felt honored to be asked. It is historically the deacon's role to assist the elder who is presiding over worship. The word deacon comes from a Greek word meaning servant. One of the deacon's acts of service is to wait upon the one who presides over the sacraments. My main tasks were to be at Bishop Dyck's side, to hold the worship book to make it easier for her to read while she used her hands for sacramental acts, to make sure we did not lose our place in the pages, to pour the water she would use in the reaffirmation of baptism, to assist her in communion, and help her in any way she wanted. Though Bishop Dyck was eager to respect our conference's traditions around ordination, she led the service confidently. She didn't need much help! Once the service got underway, and I saw the faces of the ordinands looking back up at us from their place in the front row, I recalled that the service was not about my opportunity to stand with the new bishop, but to support and affirm these new clergy members. I remembered how full my heart felt when I was in their place five years ago. I hoped our four ordinands, and the fifth person whose orders we were recognizing, would sense the support that I knew all our clergy wanted to express to them at that time. The rite of ordination includes the laying on of hands. The bishop puts her hands on the ordinand's head and invokes the Holy Spirit. Surrounding the ordinand are two special sponsors. This is an intimate and, for some, an emotional moment. To be present at this event is the real honor of participating in ordination. My job was to hold the bishop's order of worship so that she could read her words while laying her hands on the ordinand's head. It was very easy to get caught up in the moment and neglect my responsibility of making sure the bishop could see the things she needed to read! After this comes another moving portion of the Minnesota Annual Conference ordination service: the clergy turn to the ordinands and sing "The Servant Song" to them. While we did this, I remembered how I treasured at my ordination service the affirmation we ordinands received from our new clergy sisters and brothers. I was aware that I was entering into a covenantal relationship with a group of people for mutual support and accountability. This is what I remember most from my own ordination service. I hoped we clergy were communicating that to our new brother (yes, only one man) and sisters as well. After this I did my best to suppress a throat tickle and avoid a coughing fit during communion. Bishop Dyck, some other members of the board of ordained ministry, and I prayed with people who came forward during communion to share their experience of a call to ministry. Once again, I felt humbled by that sense of honor—to be present with people who were opening their hearts to God. There are other able deacons in our conference and it may be a number of years before I again get to assist the bishop in ordination. It was a highlight of my ministry—both for getting to stand with our new bishop, but also for sharing in a pivotal time in the lives of four new clergy sisters and a new clergy brother. *Rebeck is director of communication, Minnesota Annual Conference. News media contact: Kathy L. Gilbert, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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