By The Rev. Susan Balfour

Beloved,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus Christ! I give thanks to God for you daily as we continue to learn more about each other and our ministry together.

This Sunday, we are blessed to bring five elders-elect for ordination. In a time when many churches are experiencing a static cycle of the same handful of people taking it in turns to serve on sessions, it is remarkable that all five of our newest class of elders are first-timers! I take it as a sign of the vibrancy of this congregation. 

As part of the service of ordination, we proclaim, “Ordination is Christ’s gift to the church, assuring that his ministry continues among us. Through ordination, God provides for acts of care and compassion in the world, for the ordering and governance of the church, and for the preaching of the word and celebration of the sacraments.”

On Sunday, Angela Bell, Penny Judge, Ben Lamb, Lori Lufkin, and Dan Owenby begin their active service in the continuance of Christ’s ministry. I hope you will all be present for this blessed event as we make our vows to support them in theirs, and as previously-ordained elders are invited to lay hands on our ordinands in sign of the apostolic succession.

Please join me in thanking them for their faithful hearts and willingness to serve, and pray for them and our whole Session as we seek to guide this congregation in the work God has for us in this time and place.

Yours in Christ,

Rev. Susan