We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8) (NRSV)
In Michael Ramsey's book The Christian Priest Today there are two things in particular that stood out to me – Ramsey's certainty in the finished work of Christ as the grounds for our confidence in ministry, and his repeated exhortation that we don't just concern ourselves with 'saving souls', but recognise that a call to confess Jesus as Lord is a call to surrender the whole of your life.
I think those who are ordained enter into a covenant relationship with God and the Church. They are accountable to the Church for their ministry and God is responsible for guiding them in the right direction with his support by listening, answering and supporting them through their prayers. I also think that as far as the Church is concerned the boundaries of this description for public ordained ministry are those given by the words of the ordination services.
For me being an ordained Minister means to preach the word of God ; that I will guide, assist and lead God's people in worship, prayer and service ; minister God's love and compassion ; visit and support the sick, the suffering and needy ; to seek out and help those who are lost and lonely; to baptise, to confirm and to preside in the celebration of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood; to minister Christ's love and compassion and finally to serve others the way Christ taught us to serve him.
Being an ordained minister includes pastoral care, acts of mercy and acts of justice and it also includes the formal and informal sharing of faith and human experience, teaching and leading worship.
As an ordained minister I am able to perform any duties and ceremonies that any other ordained minister of any other church/faith/religion can perform. I think if you are ordained, you are expected by society to be different, to be a better person and to have a higher moral centre in which others take refuge in. Society expects its clergy to be "different" and it grants benefits and entitlements according to this exaulted status especially in appreciation of being a person who assists in times of turmoil and ushers in times of joy and togetherness, and who maintains the hope of the people.
I believe that we also gain all the other aspects- the rights and privleges which are desirable, only by our own actions and nothing more. No piece of paper can do that for us, no seal, no ribbon, no notarized pen and ink signatures can provide us with the inner self-worth that the ministry can provide us through our own righteous actions.
I love that as an ordained minister you can marry people. Performing marriages can seem like a scary thing. You certainly don't want to create bad memories for the couple. But you need to be sure that for one you are not shy about public speaking. You should also be prepared to educate yourself on how to conduct a ceremony, and plan to spend some time with the bride and groom planning the ceremony ahead of time. Although it is easy to become ordained it does not mean that you should take the responsibility of marrying two people lightly. You will need to train yourself on how to do it properly and prayerfully.
Sincerity is the key in ordination. It does not matter which belief system one holds. Being ordained for me will be the moment when I finally understand that I am valued, recognised and have been confirmed by the Church as someone called by God to ministry.
The book "Being a Priest Today" written by Christopher Cocksworth and Rosalind Brown cover the root, shape and fruit of priestly life and, as the title suggests, launches from the ‘being’ aspects of ministry to explore the ‘doing’ which has helped me to further understand more about my calling and how I can make a difference in bringing people closer to God through my ministry.
Finally for me calling is a process of journeying closer to God and expressing God's unconditional love through my actions and helping people in the society. For me it is very important that my ministry can reach further than the Church and that it can easily reach people who are in need to hear and see the good news for them.
All God’s people are called to be servants in his ministry; service to God is service to the Church and the world. I believe that those who are ordained are called to represent God in Christ and the Church community in the world, and hold the world and the Church community in Christ before God.
We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8) (NRSV)
In Michael Ramsey's book The Christian Priest Today there are two things in particular that stood out to me – Ramsey's certainty in the finished work of Christ as the grounds for our confidence in ministry, and his repeated exhortation that we don't just concern ourselves with 'saving souls', but recognise that a call to confess Jesus as Lord is a call to surrender the whole of your life.
I think those who are ordained enter into a covenant relationship with God and the Church. They are accountable to the Church for their ministry and God is responsible for guiding them in the right direction with his support by listening, answering and supporting them through their prayers. I also think that as far as the Church is concerned the boundaries of this description for public ordained ministry are those given by the words of the ordination services.
For me being an ordained Minister means to preach the word of God ; that I will guide, assist and lead God's people in worship, prayer and service ; minister God's love and compassion ; visit and support the sick, the suffering and needy ; to seek out and help those who are lost and lonely; to baptise, to confirm and to preside in the celebration of the sacrament of Christ's body and blood; to minister Christ's love and compassion and finally to serve others the way Christ taught us to serve him.
Being an ordained minister includes pastoral care, acts of mercy and acts of justice and it also includes the formal and informal sharing of faith and human experience, teaching and leading worship.
As an ordained minister I am able to perform any duties and ceremonies that any other ordained minister of any other church/faith/religion can perform. I think if you are ordained, you are expected by society to be different, to be a better person and to have a higher moral centre in which others take refuge in. Society expects its clergy to be "different" and it grants benefits and entitlements according to this exalted status especially in appreciation of being a person who assists in times of turmoil and ushers in times of joy and togetherness, and who maintains the hope of the people.
I believe that we also gain all the other aspects- the rights and privileges which are desirable, only by our own actions and nothing more. No piece of paper can do that for us, no seal, no ribbon, no notarised pen and ink signatures can provide us with the inner self-worth that the ministry can provide us through our own righteous actions.
I love that as an ordained minister you can marry people. Performing marriages can seem like a scary thing. You certainly don't want to create bad memories for the couple. But you need to be sure that for one you are not shy about public speaking. You should also be prepared to educate yourself on how to conduct a ceremony, and plan to spend some time with the bride and groom planning the ceremony ahead of time. Although it is easy to become ordained it does not mean that you should take the responsibility of marrying two people lightly. You will need to train yourself on how to do it properly and prayerfully.
Sincerity is the key in ordination. It does not matter which belief system one holds. Being ordained for me was the moment when I finally understand that I am valued, recognised and have been confirmed by the Church as someone called by God to ministry.
The book "Being a Priest Today" written by Christopher Cocksworth and Rosalind Brown cover the root, shape and fruit of priestly life and, as the title suggests, launches from the ‘being’ aspects of ministry to explore the ‘doing’ which has helped me to further understand more about my calling and how I can make a difference in bringing people closer to God through my ministry.
Finally for me calling is a process of journeying closer to God and expressing God's unconditional love through my actions and helping people in the society. For me it is very important that my ministry can reach further than the Church and that it can easily reach people who are in need to hear and see the good news for them.
All God’s people are called to be servants in his ministry; service to God is service to the Church and the world. I believe that those who are ordained are called to represent God in Christ and the Church community in the world, and hold the world and the Church community in Christ before God.
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