This past Saturday, at the end of the third week of Advent, December 19th, 2020, I was ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Robert Wright at the Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta. It was a simple and beautiful service and I am so grateful for the movement of the Spirit in my life. I am grateful for all the encouragement and support from family and friends. I am excited about the future!
In Bishop Wright’s sermon there was a line towards the end that immediately imprinted itself on my soul, and I think I will carry it throughout my ministry. “Today you are being ordained in the wilderness, for the wilderness, at the behest of a wilderness God.”
The wilderness is a challenging place on the margins where people have stepped (or been pushed) outside of the established societal expectations and the status quo. That is exactly where God is. That is exactly where John was sent. In the midst of a pandemic, in an empty church, with little pomp and circumstance, that is where we were being ordained. That is where we are being called to serve. What a powerful vision.
Thoughts on Faith 