The Bishop was Here!

My daughter was ordained this past Sunday. This took place in the same place, within a few feet, of where she was baptized and confirmed, within the congregation that nurtured her all these years. We rejoiced with her, her friends, her church family, the choir, which took a special interest in her, and the bell choir, of which she had been a member for 4 years in high school. Several people laid their hands on her, including the Bishop, the guest preacher who was her internship supervisor in an eastern state, a pastor from town who also had been her bus driver in high school, as well as her sixth grade Sunday School teacher, who is now a rostered member of the synod, and a pastor from “down the road” who used to be my mother’s pastor in another state. Truly, we have brothers and sisters in Christ in our church family. Three people from her new parish traveled a long way to be here for the ordination. Her closet friends from college all traveled to be here. Several friends from 25 years ago made the long trip to be present.

Friends and family took part in various ways in the service, singing, reading, carrying in the gifts, etc. I was asked to present the stole because I had made it. The actual design was kept a secret from my daughter until the presentation. The music and scriptures all emphasized the call and responsibility of my daughter’s call.

The evening before the service, we had the out of town guests, as well as a few local people who would be leaders in the service, over for supper. I thought of that as a service to the guests, but it turned out that I was very blessed by this gathering. I now know what a caring Bishop she will have as her pastor. I have met three caring people from the parish. The Bishop and preacher got to meet our pastor and our pianist before walking into the church.

And besides all of that, we had our adult children and the two grandchildren home for a few days.

Thanks be to God!