Looking Back

It has been a long, long time since I went before our Annual Conference Board of Ministry seeking admission to the Conference and ordination.  I do not remember too many of the details required, but one thing never forgotten is the text given to us for a sermon.  It was Colossians 1:13, "He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgivness of sins."  I typed it with a manual typewriter and can still see the way those words set on the pages.  It would be interesting to read that sermon after all these years, but it disappeared somewhere along the way as I went from one church to another.   

As I look back I realize it was a simple text.  It was one that spoke clearly a Word from God.  It was not one of those passages where the meaning is hidden and requires digging out one commentary after another.  The sermon was probably not one that struck the Board Members as something extraordinary, but it was at least good enough to get me to the altar where the Bishop's ordaining hands were laid upon my head.  There were times when the choice of ordination seemed too hard, but I am grateful for the trust God showed in me by calling me to preach. 

I cannot imagine living another life.  It was one which gave my life meaning and purpose and which enabled me to share in the joys and struggles of so many folks whose path interesected with mine.  There were ten congregations along the way who put up with me and loved me and I remember them with gratitude.  I can understand why the Apostle Paul spoke of praying for the churches which were a part of his life and ministry and why he always sought good things for them.  While the ministry God gave me may have blessed some of those churches, the blessings I received from them far outweighed anything I might have given.