Ordination in the Uniting Church of South Australia

Last week the Uniting Church in SA celebrated the ordination of 7 people who had been candidates for Minister of the word. This ordination was particularly special because we celebrated the ordination of the first person from South Sudan to be ordained in the Uniting Church of Australia.

Each ordination has it's own feel because the ordinands involved give input to the service. They spend time with the moderator in the weeks leading up to the ordination and discuss the way the service will be shaped. For example, when I was ordained there were a few of us with young children so we wanted children to feel involved in the service. We had bags for the children with card, glue, stickers, textas and envelopes so the children could write notes of encouragement to the ordinands during the service.

This ordination service started with song and dance by the Sundanese Youth Choir in SA. Definitely a great way to start a celebration service.

Our moderator Rev Rob Williams then acknowledged the first people of Australia and welcomed us to the ordination service.

Rev Dr Ian Price preached the word and led us in wondering "What is in your hand?" with the help of some improv actors from the gathered people :-) You might recognise the part of Moses.

The ordination service was very meaningful and it's always a special time to see the people praying over the newly ordained people.

We then shared Holy Communion together. I have no idea how many people were there but you can imagine with 7 ordinands there were 100's of people there. However, time was given so that everyone was able to share in the meal.

Everyone who was ordained on the day already had a placement but this day signified the beginning of their ordained ministry.

For me it was a celebration but also a moment in my day for reflection.I was celebrating one year in my current placement and just over a year since my own ordination.

God With Us

Today just didn't seem to be my day. My Key didn't want to work in the door, I got the kids to school late, plans I had for the day were thrown aside and I was just feeling out of sorts. I had a Doctors appointment before heading to my lecture at College and the Doctor was 45 minutes late! I had watched someone else cancel their appointment after waiting 'too long.' I was so tempted to do the same. I wanted to tell the receptionist how I was wasting time sitting in the waiting room when I could have stayed at the office another 30 minutes! I didn't, instead I read my emails on my phone.

Coming out of the Doctors office I had to wait while the receptionists talked to each other about 'matters of importance' and all the time I kept thinking about the time I was wasting. Finally I walked out the door, ready to head to the college, calculating in my head whether I would have time to get petrol, eat my lunch, grab a coffee and meet with a lecturer before my class started.

It was then that I saw a woman sitting in the carpark crying....

I walked over to her and asked if she was ok; she said no. Her Doctor had given her some awful news and now she was waiting for someone to pick her up. She told me how alone she felt.

We sat....we talked....we cried.....we hugged....I was aware that God was with us.

I drove away, still with tears on my face and thanked God that my Doctor was running late today.