2024 North Texas Annual Conference: Ordination and Commissioning

the [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] w [Music] [Applause] you for [Music] Mighty foress Is Our God humble work never [Music] fa our helper Aid the a moral [Music] pril anent now [Music] to and with [Music] on earth is notal [Music] [Applause] Mighty foress Our God Allen [Music] all for [Music] still our and our through [Music] is in our ouring of the [Music] Christ [Music] Jesus his to [Music] Mighty foress our [Music] is our we will not for God [Music] will the Prince of Darkness we TR not for his we [Applause] [Music] his shall [Music] PR to them [Music] the [Music] spirit through through the [Music] for [Music] make the of highest [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] this this King is [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] amen the grace of God be with all of you also with you we come together to praise God to hear the holy word and to seek for ourselves and others the power presence and direction of the spirit together let us pray Jesus Christ Our Savior amen you may be seated Ministry is a work of God done by the people of God through baptism we are made part of the pr of the PRI hood of all believers the church Christ's body made visible in the world we all share in Christ's Ministry of love and service for the Redemption of the Human family and the whole of human creation therefore in celebration of our common Ministry I call upon all God's people gathered here remember your baptism and be grateful who presents these candidates to be ordained commissioned or recognized we haveed Cates according to the standard of discipline and this confence of chur we present with our pray we present for transfer of orders from Deacon to Elder Christina Marie hilderbrand we present for ordination as Elder Randall Glenn Lucas Gracie Marie Mard Melissa ethn Nelms Christopher Michael vaugh we present them with our prayers and support we present for commissioning as provisional members Jennifer Lynn Bates J June Daniel Cho INB Stella Cho Colin Michael Craft Kimberly an efor Monica Lynn Frasier Kristen Perkins Glover Shandon Chassidy kleene Carol sibl trus Valerie Jean Su Kristen Nicole Steed we present them with our prayers and support we rejoice in the spirit's work in our lives and the lives of these who come to serve and lead us my siblings in Christ you've been called to an Ord ordained or commissioned status and set aart Ministry the church now confirms your calling as ordained or commissioned ministers and Associate members you are to be co-workers with all the people of God with Ley Bishops Elders deacons local pastors provisional members diaconal ministers deaconesses Home missioners Supply pastors with all who serve God in theur Church remember you are called to serve rather than to be served to proclaim the faith of the church and no other and to look after the concerns of God above all so we may know you believe yourselves to be called by God and that you profess the Christian faith we ask you do you believe that God has called you to the life and work of ordained or licensed Ministry I do still believe do you believe in the Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit and confess Jesus Christ as your lord and savior but you still believe and confess are you persuaded that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament contain all things necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and our unique and authoritative standard for the church's faith and life I am so persuaded by God's grace will you be faithful in prayer in the study of holy scriptures and with the help of the Holy Spirit continually rekindle the gift of God that is in you I will with the help of God will you do your best to pattern your life in accordance with the teachings of Christ I will with the help of God will you in the exercise of your ministry lead the people of God to faith in Christ to participate in the life and work of the community and to seek peace Justice and freedom for all people people I will with the help of God will you be loyal to the United Methodist Church accepting and upholding its order liturgy Doctrine and discipline defending it against all doctrines contrary to God's holy word and committing yourself to be accountable with those serving with you and to the bishop and those who are appointed to supervise your ministry I will with the help of God will you for the sake of the church's life and Mission Covenant to participate in the life of the order into which you are ordained commissioned received or recognized will you give yourself to God through the order in order to sustain and build each other up in prayer study worship and service under the rule of Life set forth in the vows you take this day of God may God who has given you the will to do these things give you the grace to perform them under the that through the work begun in you may be brought to Perfection amen amen you may be seated our first scripture is from the letter to the Ephesians beginning in the 14th verse of the third chapter hear now these words according to God's servant for this reason I bow my knees before the father from whom every family in heaven and on Earth Earth takes its name I pray that according to the riches of his glory he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his spirit and that Christ May dwell in your hearts through faith as you are being rooted and grounded in love I pray that you may have the power to comprehend with all the saints what is the bread and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God now to the one who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine To God Be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever amen [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] the church is one is Jesus Christ her Lord is his true creation by water and the world from he came and to be his holy with his mighty for and for [Music] be every Na One all [Music] Earth of [Music] Sal one [Music] holy holy [Music] every Grace [Music] and receive [Music] and soon the night of shall be [Music] let be are the great [Music] and ohy and Lord give us Gra the and Glory [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] please remain standing in body or Spirit as you're able Our Gospel reading this evening is written in The Gospel according to John in the sixth chapter beginning at the first verse John chapter 6 6: 1- 21 after this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee also called The Sea of tiberias a large crowd kept following him because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples now the Passover the Festival of the Jews was near when he looked up and saw a large crowd coming toward him Jesus said to Phillip where are we to buy bread for these people to eat he said this to test him for he himself knew what he was going to do Philip answered him 200 dinari would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little one of his disciples Andrew Simon Peter's brother said to him there is a boy here who has five barley Loaves and two fish but what are they among so many people Jesus said make the people sit down now there was a great deal of grass in the place so they sat down about 5,000 in all then Jesus Took the Loaves and when he had given thanks he distributed them to those who were seated so also the fish as as much as they wanted when they were satisfied he told his disciples gather up the fragments left over so that nothing may be lost so they gathered them up and from the fragments of the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten they filled 12 baskets when the people saw the sign that he had done they began to say this is indeed the prophet who is to come into the world when Jesus realized that they were about to come and take him by force to make him King he withdrew again to the mountain by himself when evening came his disciples went down to the Sea got into a boat and started across the sea to Capernaum it was now dark and Jesus had not yet come to them the sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing when they had roded about three or four miles they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat and they were terrified but he said to them it is I do not be afraid then they wanted to take him into the boat and immediately the boat reached the land toward which they were going the word of God for the people of God thanks be to God please be seated May the grace of God and the Peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit join me in prayer gracious and loving God grant us the ability through your spirit to fully comprehend the immeasurable breath length height and depth of your love and to experience your presence in our lives enable us to grasp the boundless Love Of Christ a love that surpasses all understanding we pray that your word may transform us from within renewing our minds and conforming us to the image of Jesus our lord and savior amen so my first appointment my trust chair um shared a story with me and he said you know when I was younger I was quite something else he said at one time I was going to uh go out with my friends and my mom who was a single parent at that time had four boys said to me you're not going and I said why not I'm an adult I can do whatever I want my mom said to me fine you leave and I'll start praying so aruro Arthur said I'm going anyway so he got in the car turned it on drove around the block parked it and went in the house and and his mother said Albina she was about 5'4 she said I thought you were leaving I said well I'm not leaving you're going to pray he respected his mother's prayer life and uh he was not going to match Wills with a Praying Mother some of you are here because your mom's prayed for you a lot help them Lord help her help them so let me ask you something you know we just read the Liturgy about ordination and everything else and say will you lead the people of God with prayer with study of scripture and everything else and everything starts with prayer if you notice maybe you didn't but uh prayer is not neutral it's essential it's essential to our ministry it's vital and and how we pray really exemplifies whether we have more faith in God or more faith in ourselves right because we're pretty sure about ourselves sometimes we don't know what God can do prayer was essential for the people of God and the early church who had few resources very little social influence and believe it or not no long-term ter strategies for success they didn't have much of a strategy you know what the strategy was to pray that was a strategy it was very simple to pray fervently and to depend upon the god of the universe to guide and to save and to heal and to liberate and to provide for their needs and if God didn't show up they were in a lot of trouble they pray prayed consider this when there was a famine or drought God's People Prayed when they were in bondage they prayed when they faced challenges they prayed when they were surrounded by enemies they they prayed when sickness struck they when they needed guidance they when they were persecuted they When leaders were needed they when they were mourned and when they were mourning and in sorrow they when God delivered them they and when they gathered to worship they they prayed they prayed all the time interestingly enough the only thing that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to do was Lord teach us how to pray that's the only thing recorded in the gospels I've looked for other things I haven't found anything else I Think Jesus was always teaching them but they said teach us to pray the way you pray the way that you pray so dependent upon God cuz we want that in our lives because we know know that this work is impossible without the help of God on our lives the disciples before when Jesus was ascended we just went through Ascension Sunday and when the Jesus says you all go to Jerusalem stay in Jerusalem and wait for the power wait for the power it'll it'll come down and it's a promise of God and and you know just wait and so what did the disciples do they stayed in Jerusalem and at the place that they were staying and they went up to the upper room and what do you think they were doing they were praying constantly constantly and the spirit fell upon them empowered them with boldness to preach to teach and to baptize the Nations one person at a time one family at a time one community at a time and here's the thing maybe we don't know we don't know this but without fervent prayer for God's promised Holy Spirit there might not be have been a Pentecost or even a church we might not even be here today cuz Jesus said wait and pray and they prayed and God did amazing things God did far more abundantly than all they could ever ask or think or imagine their prayer was desperate and it was dependent and the church turned the world upside down not because they had a lot of influence or power or leaders but because they prayed and God worked to them in powerful ways ways that they could not accomplish on their own in Acts 17:6 it says that the people in thessalonica accused the Disciples of turning the world upside down and proclaiming Jesus as a Messiah King and challenging the existing social and religious order prayer prayer is disruptive this accusation highlights the impact that they had on the influence that the early Christian Movement had that desperately dependent upon God In Prayer their faith was powerful and it was rooted in Christ and through prayer the spirit Bolden them to challenge prevailing beliefs and disrupt the nature of things in the order with their message it rocked the world this prayer life showed that these people were dependent upon God to show up and for God to act and when God acted the church and Christ and God were glorified for all generations so that we could teach the grand the children and and the siblings th this is the god that we serve and this is the god that gets us out of stuff and keeps us moving forward the god that accompanies Us in life and we teach them to the Next Generation so that they can place their hope in God the prayer life of God's people in the early church showed their trust that God can accomplish far more than all they can ever ask or think or imagine sometimes I tell you the truth I don't know how we're going to do stuff I really don't so we pray and sometimes by the time we get an answer it might not be the way that we had thought it was going to happen but we open ourselves to be led by God to follow where God is leading us because after all this here's a good thing for all of us pastors to know the church doesn't belong to us it belongs to Jesus and the people belong to Christ we're called to serve and to help them build their faith and edify and send them into the world as Christ followers to make a difference it's never ours It All Belongs to Christ as and if you read the full book of Ephesians say who is who is the head of the church but has raised the church up next to him prayer is a backbone of the wesan movement the United Methodist movement or the Methodist movement would not have been here were not for Wesley's utter dependence upon it Wesley believed prayer was crucial to fostering spiritual growth within the church and empowering its mission in the world fervent dep dependence upon prayer will be part of the culture of the New Horizon Texas conference we will be a Praying church and we will put that at the top of what we do Wesley emphasized prayer and expressed his desperate dependency upon it in his journals and his sermons he said stuff like prayer is where the the action is sometimes we think prayer is is inactivity like I I got so much work to do I don't have time to pray we think it's like you know cutting into our day God will do nothing says wesy but an answer to prayer and here's a good one for us Methodist busybody pastors I I have so much to do so much to do that I spend several hours in prayer before I'm able to do it don't just go out there with all this energy without spending time in prayer to make sure that your energy is going to to make an impact it's not about the quantity it's about the quality of our work and how do we best Zone in in our work so so it makes an impact and a difference instead of exhausting ourselves in 150 activities that really when you put them all together they could have been better harnessed and marshalled into one one or two singular efforts and then of course Wesley says and souls filled with love the desire to please God is continual prayer in tonight's Gospel reading those who approached Jesus in the wilderness were drawn because of his the signs and that he performed but failed to fully understand who he was this is a this is a a a a story of the signs of Christ feeding the multitudes but that's not the main point of the story Story the main point was do people really understand who Jesus is and so was he like Moses or was he the Son of God who came to save and offer abundant eternal life to all who followed you see when when Moses in the wilderness asked like where are we going to get bread and meat to feed all these people it was a crisis he really didn't know where it was going to come from you're like oh I don't know but then God is in Mercy provided when Jesus asked Philip the question where are you going to get bread to feed all these people it was a test and it was a test to reveal that God could do abundantly and exceedingly far more than Philip could ever imagine so what do you got I got five fish and two loaves of bread that's enough put in my hands let's see what we can do with it and it multiplied 5,000 men had women and children 15,000 people then they picked up 12 baskets didn't rot or spoil it just 12 baskets full of food because it wasn't just enough it was abundantly more it was much more than they could think or imagine this is and so Jesus was trying to say this is this is who I am I I am the one who has accessibility to God's inexhaustible riches you just need to ask sometimes we get so limited in our little problems that we cannot think that how am I going to get out of this situation and when we allow God to enter in and to allow the grace to come in things start to happen wonderfully unexpectedly abundantly more than what we could imagine sometime we just get too impatient with our prayer life and we don't wait for for God to to Really allow things to develop and to and to happen in front of us and and say like I like the one says and behold like what are we going to do now we're up against the Red Sea behold stand back watch this when the disciples saw Jesus walking in the water they were terrified they were terrified and Jesus by walking on the water surface and using the name I am revealed himself as the great I am the one who said to Moses who will go with me who are you I am who I am and there Jesus revealed the Divinity I am not Moses I am more than Moses the Son of God was able to do abundantly far more than what the disciples could ask or imagine the writer of Ephesians whether it's Paul or not just doesn't really matter but for that person Jesus was everything and and he prayed for his people to experience the same life that he had received through Christ Jesus I I'm almost say it was Paul because he recognized that everything he had held dear flowed from the relationship with Jesus and Jesus was a life-giving force and he prayed for the church to know Christ and the boundless love as he did and now here's the thing that this pastor is on his knees and it it says I un bended knee I come before and so that's saying a lot it's saying that Jesus is Lord and not Caesar so prayer was an act of resistance to the established way of things prayer was a hope and a vision for God's Reign to flourish and what what drove this person of prayer was that he wanted this church to experience the fullness of the love of God in their life and because the whole argument in in Ephesians is that look Jesus Christ to the cross have broken down all the Dividing Walls of hostility and is creating a new Humanity from people of all groups and tribes and Nations and races uh therefore you know we we we glorify God because this is God's plan from the very beginning to unify broken humanity and you're an example of that as you come together under one Lord one faith and one baptism and so we pick up this prayer and we we're kind of overhearing somebody else's prayer for the church and and this person deeply cares for the people now you are are are going to be in settings whether you're going to be a chaplain or Pastor or associate member associate pastor and there's nothing more than you can do for your church than to pray for its people that is like the life and I don't know what system you use whether you're going to pray for a few every day over the course of the year or you going to be a a crisis prayer when there's a problem you're going to pray for this and then you wait until the next TR to pray for that I I don't I don't know what what system you have but you have to devote yourself to praying for the people that God has entrusted to your care because you have a big responsibility to to lead people in in the ways of Christ and in to to be a faithful disciple and follower of Jesus Christ to help them when they struggle to help them reorient and maybe reframe how they're looking at things and sometimes you know the counsel that you give makes a really big difference in somebody's life and so you need to pray for wisdom and Grace and also just an ability to really hear what's going on so that you can help people draw nearer to Christ draw nearer to God talk about the love of Christ have service born in their hearts and to live a generous life in the world and so this person wants wants the church to experience the strength and the spiritual power and the knowledge of God's abundance he wants Christ to inv F and overwhelm the church with Grace and love what a beautiful prayer Lord just Infuse them with your life he realizes that when Christ dwells in Hearts you get everything you get formation you get character you get service you get witness he prays for the church to be filled with the fullness of God who is able to do abundantly more than they can ask or imagine and and he prays continuously as he humbly asked God to bless the church with these four spiritual resources to be strengthened with a spiritual power in their inner being we we pay a lot of attention to how we look on the outside right it's important that you know we have the right body shape and skin color and all this kind of stuff uh or maybe the Perfect online Persona you know we kind of create this Alter Ego uh but you know what God doesn't look at all all of that stuff we know God looks at the heart because that's where character is born that's where faithfulness is born That's Where Mercy comes from that's where compassion comes from that's where kindness comes from that's where the ability to forgive your enemies comes from and so Paul is saying I pray that Christ be born in your inner being what and and this is the beauty that God looks at and when when Christ dwells in us he like Christ does like a remodeling job in in our in in our in our lives or in the church Our Lives should look differently because Christ dwells in it and some of the stuff some of the attitudes the biases of prejudices and and the sing thinking and all that kind of stuff should be transformed by the presence of Christ in our lives and the church should be transformed by the love of God as you see a church and and and when and when you have a church that reflects the grace and the love of God in the people in who they have become as they been under the ministry of the word and the prayer and the worship it's a beautiful thing and I see it all the time in our churches that we go to said how did these people get to be that way because the the fullness of God is dwelling in their hearts and transforming them into the image and likeness of Christ he prays that that they would be filled with the presence of Christ and their hearts as they're rooted and grounded in love you see this this work is exhausting if it's not rooted and grounded in the love of God we're just doing physical manual labor but if we're rooted and grounded in in in the life of God then our our strength and our energy and our powers is endless it just flows through us we get exhausted when we stop depending upon God for our work and Trust in ourselves and then go at it until we can't anymore until we can't take one more step but when you're rooted and grounded in Christ that Supernatural power of God just just continues to come and come and come and come and come it's inexhaustible H we get tired we need a break from time to time but the ability to stay with it over the Long Haul to persevere in the faith and not quit and give up that's not humanly possible because Ministry is not always easy and by the way Jesus didn't say the ministry was going to be easy he just promised to be with us right so don't forget that this writer this prayer Grant ask God to grant them the power to grasp the greatness of God's love the greatness of God's love and then to give them the ability to understand the dimensions of God's power and and mercy and Grace and wisdom it it's like a Ser Ephesians is a sermon that is meant to be read to the churches it's a circular letter that in all those title Ephesians it's meant it's a sermon that's meant to be read to the whole body of Christ so that so that they could understand you know who Christ was the first three chapters are about you know the theological discussions about Christ and the work of Christ and then it's this prayer and then it's like okay these are if if if this if this is Jesus we're going to pray that you be filled with the fullness so that you can live this way a life worthy of your calling and and so it's an interesting letter in that it's an exhortation it's also a theological grounding but it's also the power to like this the the word said may may may God who give you the will to do these things give you the grace to accomplish give you the power to accomplish things I'll do it yeah but do you have the grace and this is where God comes in and to know this love is to be filled with it and you know in all this Dimensions to be spiritually mature and and our whole idea of our spiritual life is to be spiritually mature and to help others grow into the fullness and stature of the maturity of Jesus Christ and so and so and so that the the height the height and the depth is kind of like the vertic ality of of the dimensions of God it doesn't have an ending and it doesn't have either way it just goes like this which means our our vertical relationship with God our our our our our our prayer life our devotion our searching after the the the knowledge and and the goodness and and searching the the unfathomable life of God through through study and and through reflection and meditation this is the verticality and then the horizontal right the the width and the bread and that's a church out in out in the world expanding itself to all the dimensions all beyond the the corners of the world and and and the and the greater our vertical life is then the greater horizontal life is and so a in a way it's kind of a cruciform spirituality that has a verticality and and the horizontal aspect of it and and because the the thing is that we're just not a a oh it's just about Jesus and me and my experience praise the Lord Lord we we are a church that God calls to service on behalf of Jesus Christ in the world and in fact the church is the only organization that exists for the sake of others and you've heard that before it doesn't just exist for its members but also for those who are not yet part of it and and the mission is possible because God gives us strength and fills us with the fullness that we need when we're tired God says I can do abundantly far more than all you can ask or imagine when we feel stuck God can do abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine when we Face difficulties and disappointments and despair God is able to do far more than all we can ask or imagine in every situation and predicament God is able to do do more so let us not be discouraged but trust that God is able to do more as you are ordained and commissioned we will pray that God grants you the grace and power to fulfill all of your pastoral duties and then some but we ask you to pray desperately and dependently for God's love and grace and power to fill your heart and to also direct your ministry and let me say don't try to control your ministry when you're taking a vow ortion you're you're you're trus in God right we we we like to do this stuff but we like to have the last word on it and uh you know when we do that we just limit how God wants to use us so I just I just pray that you would be open to all the ways that God wants to use your unique gifts for Ministry in the world When you pray and I and I trust that you will pray pray for your church to be rooted in Christ's love to reflect God's unity and to break down the Dividing Walls of hostility friends are our mission is possible because God's ability to do more than all we can ask or imagine the mission is possible because God gives us strength and this is one thing that God enjoys doing giving us strength Roots us in Christ love and fill us with the fullness we we need when the world is counting us out God is able to do more when others are saying you're finished God is able to do more when we think there's no way out God is able to do more the spirit will make a way for us into God's power and strength a way into God's blessing a way into the wideness of God's grace and mercy a into the richness of God's glory a way into God's joy way to God's promises way into the fullness of the love of Christ to God be the glory to God be the glory to God be the glory to God be the glory in Christ Jesus to God be the glory in the church to God be the glory for all generations forever and ever and ever be praying pastors and you will see God do abundantly far more than all you can ask or think or imagine amen [Applause] amen we have heard the word of God proclaimed through song Through the reading of scripture in sermon and experienced firsthand the commen commencing of these Faithful Servants our offering tonight will go to support our summer camps in Bridgeport for over 70 years our conference has had summer camps at Bridgeport camp and Conference Center for many Camp offers students a life-changing opportunity to experience God's grace and love and many Pastors in our conference maybe even some here tonight begun exploring their call to Ministry at one of these camps throughout my childhood Bridgeport has been and continues to be something that helps me in my faith I have made some of the best friends in my life and I know it has had such a big impact on others as well it is where I feel the closest to God and it is a place that holds a dear place in my heart and the hearts of others your giving will allow us to offer scholarships to students unable to afford the cost of camp we believe that if we are going to be the church that God has called us to be that means making sure that young people are not left out of life-changing experiences of going to Camp I know I know that you you will give to make sure that no kid is left out or left behind let us give so that the faith of our youngest Generations will be ignited will the ushers please come forward to accept our offering as we pray please bow your heads Heavenly Father we come before you today with hearts full of gratitude thank you for the countless blessings you have bestowed upon us for your love that surrounds us and for your Pres presence that guides us as we offer our time talents and resources we do so with the intention of being vessels of your love and compassion in the world may our offerings be used to extend your your kingdom to help those in need and to glorify your name grant us wisdom to use these gifts wisely and selflessly We Trust in your Providence and care and we commit our offerings to you with hopeful hearts in your holy name we pray [Music] amen look at the world everything all around us look at the world and every day look at the world everything all around us so many mirales along our way PR to the [Music] All Hearts all the gifts we share and bless [Music] all look at the Earth bringing forth fruits and flowers look at the sky and sunshine and the rain look at the look at the trees and mountains to the for [Music] all usful heart and we may see me share and bless [Music] all think of the spring think of the warmth of Summer bringing a harvest before the Winter's cold Everything grows everything has a season till it is GED to the father's prise to the for [Music] all usful hearts that we may see all gives we share and [Music] bless every good all we need and cherish the token of his love we are his hands stewards of all his b the Earth to All usful Hearts [Music] we share bless all [Music] by affirming the Covenant of baptism all members of Christ's holy church pledged to serve as Christ representatives in the world Christ gave all of us this command ask the lord of the Harvest to send laborers into the Harvest we have asked we have prayed and the Lord has answered these siblings in Christ know our savior's concern for God's people see the plentiful Harvest and are ready to respond generously to the Lord in the words of the Prophet here I am send me urged on by the love of Christ and strengthened by the Holy Spirit they now come to declare the public their desire to live out the covenant made at their baptism by binding themselves to the service of God God under the supervision of the bishop and the guidance of colleagues in full connection and by being appointed to share as servant leaders in the body of Christ today we commission them to Service as they continue to prepare for ordained Ministry among us would you please kneel god of the Apostles and Prophets of Martyrs and teachers you rais up your people to be Apostolic leaders in your church by your Holy Spirit help these servants to understand and to live the mystery of Your Love with boldness and joy deepen their sense of purpose as they exercise commission Ministry Empower them and those who walk with them to guide them in their Ministry together with all your people to heal the sick to love the outcast to resist evil to preach the word and give themselves freely for your name's sake pour out your Holy Spirit upon Jennifer Lyn Bates send Jennifer to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Jay June Daniel Cho send J June now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Yun Bill Stella Cho send Yun bill now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Colin Michael Craft send Colin now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Kimberly and eord send Kimberly now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Monica Lynn Frasier send Monica to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen am pour out your Holy Spirit upon Christian Perkins Glover send Kristen now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Shandon Chast de Klein send Shandon now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Carol sibi Petrus send Carol now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Valerie Jean Su send Valerie now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen pour out your Holy Spirit upon Kristen Nicole steed send Christen now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for Ministry in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen am will the commission need just stand up here and just face up here to the front tissue please hey you know what so many people have walked with you right your your family members your friends your clergy colleagues uh you know the churches that you served at but more than anything else Jesus Christ will call you to Ministry and the spirit has been with you it hasn't been easy but but you're here in this next step and so uh we celebrate God's called upon your life and more than more than that that you answered right and that you said here I am send me so would you please turn around and these are your new Commission [Applause] all [Applause] [Music] you your name will you go where you know and never be S will you my love be will you let my be known will you my [Music] life you leave yourself behind the your will you care for true never be will you st [Music] your will you PR and a deacon is called to share in the Christ Ministry of servanthood to relate the life of the community to its service in the world and to lead others into Christian discipleship to nurture disciples for witness and service to lead in worship to teach and Proclaim God's word to administer the sacraments of holy baptism and holy communion in their location of ministry to interpret to the church the world's hurts and hopes to serve all people particularly the poor the sick and the oppressed and to lead Christ's people in ministries of compassion and Justice Liberation and Reconciliation especially in the face of hardship and personal sacrifice this is a rule of life and work of a deacon this year we will not receive any new ordained deacons in full connection and yet this year is also significant as a general conference has approved sacramental Authority for deacons to preside over the Lord's table and Waters of baptism AP ISM at their location in Ministry beginning January the 1st 2025 in the clergy session this past week I have authorized the deacons to begin living into that Authority effective immediately [Applause] and in the north Texas conference we celebrate the leadership and Ministry of deacons if you are a provisional or ordained Deacon please rise that we may affirm your calling and pray for your [Applause] Ministries all right remain standing we're going to pray for you would you remain standing please deacons thank you we thank you living God that in your great love you sent Jesus Christ to take the form of a servant becoming obedient even to death on the cross and now resurrected and exalted in the heavens you have taught us by his word and example that whoever would be great Among Us must be a servant of all give the these servants Grace to be faithful to their promises constant in their discipleship and always ready to work in Acts of loving service make them modest and humble gentle and strong rooted and grounded in love give them a share in the ministry of Jesus Christ who came not to be served but to serve almighty God pour upon these person the Holy Spirit and confirm within them the calling which you have placed upon their hearts and everyone said amen you may be [Music] seated I call your name will you the fear inside and never be the will you use the F you to reame the world my and [Music] through you but Call My Name let turn and follow you and never be [Music] your [Music] and and [Music] an elder is called to share in the ministry of Christ and of the whole church to preach and teach the word of God and Faithfully administer the sacraments of holy baptism and communion to lead the people of God in worship and prayer to lead persons to Faith in Jesus Christ to exercise pastoral supervision to order the life of the congregation and the connection to counsel the troubled to declare the Forgiveness of sins to lead the people of God in obedience to Christ's mission in the world to seek Justice Peace and Freedom for all people and to take a responsible place in the government of the church and in service in and to the community this is a rule of life and work for an elder do you believe that God has called you to the life and work work of an elder I do so believe let us pray for these persons as these persons are ordained or recognized by the church for the office and work of Elders to which they believe and we believe they've been called by the Holy Spirit we pray we praise you Eternal God because you have called us to be a Priestly people offering to you acceptable worship through Jesus Christ Our Lord Apostle and high priest Shepherd and Bishop of our souls we thank you that by dying Christ has overcome death and having ascended into heaven has poured forth gifts abundantly on your people making some Apostles some prophets some evangelists some pastors and teachers to equip the Saints for the work of ministry to build up Christ's body and to fulfill your gracious purpose in the world give to these your servants the grace and power they need to serve you in this ministry make them be faithful pastors prayerful pastors patient teachers and wise counselors enable them to serve without reproach to proclaim the gospel of salvation to administer the sacraments of a New Covenant and to offer with all your people spiritual sacrifices acceptable to you through Jesus Christ Our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God now and forever amen all right have Christen Christina hilderbrand we recognize your transfer of orders down from deacon to Elder now take authority as an elder to preach the word of God to administer the holy sacraments and to order the life of the church in the name of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit almighty God pour upon Christina the holy spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Christ holy church amen amen [Applause] okay almighty God pour upon Randall Glenn Lucas the holy spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ's holy church amen amen Randall take authority of as an elder to preach the word of God to administer the sacraments the holy sacraments and to order the life of the church in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen [Applause] I'm G to I'm sorry we have two Bishops here Bishop Michael mcke and Bishop Max withfield would you please come up here yes I'm going to invite them to lay hands on the elders thank you Andy if you want to get on the S of Chris that's that's good all right thank you all right almighty God pour upon Grace Marie Mard the holy spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ's holy church amen am Grace Marie take authority as an elder to preach the word of God to admin Minister the holy sacraments and to order the life of the church in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen [Applause] it's a lot of stuff almighty God pour upon Melissa ethn Nelms the holy spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ's holy church amen amen place your hands here Melissa here you go let's get this right put your hand here on the top of the scripture Melissa take authority as an elder to preach the word of God to administer the holy sacraments and to order the life of the church in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen you the [Applause] ready almighty God pour upon Christopher Michael vau the holy spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ's holy church amen amen Christopher take authority as an elder to preach the word of God to administer the holy sacraments and to order the life of the church in the name of the father and and of the son and of the holy spirit amen amen [Applause] thank you thank you Elders would you join in here today right now there you go so how are you feeling huh nothing's changed but everything has changed you don't know it yet but it has it really really has it's a mystery right that's the way God works when we say yes to God God does amazing things through our willingness so thank you for saying yes to the call I can't imagine the things that you had to consider and the people you had to talk to and and and get their affirmation from and ask for their prayers but the church has been praying for you for a long time Generations you are what the church has been praying for and now you pray for the Church of the Next Generation so that there'll be people like you 30 60 100 years from now that you help pray into the call right and so that's how this works and so just as people have prayed for you you pray for your people then trust God to do the rest God raises up leaders for all the work of all those that are baptized so may God bless you may you be spiritual leaders first and foremost faithful Disciples of Jesus Christ show the way walk with the people love the people you heard this addage right people don't know don't care how much you know until they know how much you care all right so care for the shepherd for the people of God Pope Francis says that you all should stink because you're carrying sheep all day and so you should have on your clothing the odor of sheep right and that your shoes shouldn't be polished because you should be out in the streets meeting people where they live and leading the church Church into those places all right so we have high expectation and high hopes for all that God will accomplish through you would you please turn so we can receive you these are your ordained elders [Applause] [Music] oh oh will not let me go oh love my rest my we [Music] through [Music] the CL my heart to the gra the through the and the [Music] I rest my we [Music] I the my my I [Music] the and in [Music] shall [Music] oh oh [Music] pray we thank you gracious God for raising up Among Us Faithful Servants clothe them with your righteousness and Grant that we with them may glorify you by giving ourselves to others amen [Music] [Applause] [Music] to be the great the s and [Music] his and the US to your with we [Music] with [Applause] the you us through your with my and us all world of [Applause] Lord youly my body my love let us all for to Glory [Music] World your [Music] children the the world [Music] of you show [Music] us for asure all that you so fre Mery [Music] with [Music] the for the work [Music] of words of story I [Music] to and glor story we serve [Music] us [Music] [Applause] my BR us [Music] [Applause] receive the benediction but before we do that we'd like to extend so much appreciation for the combined chancell choirs of Richardson First United Methodist Church and Highland Park United Methodist Church and the orchestra and all the musicians who assisted tonight thank you for being here here now Friends The Grace of Jesus Christ and the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all always go in peace to serve God and your neighbors in all you do amen [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] w