Thursday, October 18, 2012

Another Anniversary

Twenty-six years ago, on the Feast of St. Luke, I was ordained to the priesthood at The Episcopal Church of St. Ann in Lowell, MA.

Today, I'm in New York City - way up in Harlem, actually - presently awaiting this evening's festivities at the Celebration of New Ministry at The Episcopal Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Brooklyn, NY with the Rev'd Michael Sniffen as their new rector.

Michael is one of the seven seminarians I've been privileged to mentor over the last 10 years. I'm as proud as every single one of them as I am of my own kids. They are brilliant, creative, innovative, compassionate priests and absolutely on fire with love of the Gospel.

If you had told me, twenty-eight years ago, that I would have had the privilege of mentoring so many wonderful new clergy, I'd have said you were crazy. I was on fire, myself, and couldn't really see the gospel forest for the ministry trees.

This time last year I was also in NYC. I celebrated the 25th Anniversary of my priestly ordination hanging out with the wonderful riffraff at Zuccotti Park and the newly formed Occupy Wall Street movement. It was pretty amazing.

This is holy time for me, and I am so pleased that I have yet another opportunity - though a very, very different way - to remember and celebrate the enormous privilege of being ordained as a priest in God's one, holy, catholic and apostolic church.

I thank God for the opportunities I've had to serve and look forward to many, many more years of work in the vineyards of Christ Jesus.
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