Drew's Commissioning
On June 14th Annual Conference was held at Brentwood United Methodist Church and our Associate Pastor, Drew Shelley, appeared before the Bishop and others as part of a Service of Commissioning and Ordination. Commissioning marks the beginning of a two or three year period of probationary membership in the Annual Conference. The process becomes more intense during the probationary period until finally culminating in another rigorous material submission and interview experience for consideration as an Ordained Elder in the Annual Conference.
Many members of the church decided to join Drew and his family in attending the Service and a luncheon before the service. Click Here to view photos of the luncheon and of Brentwood UMC before the Service of Commissioning.
Please read on for Drew's letter to the members in his appreciation for their support.
Folks,
It has been almost a month since my commissioning as a “provisional elder” in the United Methodist Church. As many of you know, this happened during Annual Conference at Brentwood United Methodist Church. It is a really big step along the road to ordination as an “elder in full connection.” These next three years are a kind of “probationary period” during which I spend time with a mentor, a group of my peers, and doing some study and work to share with the Board of Ordained Ministry. After that, I will prayerfully be ordained.
During this month, due to vacation and other things, I have not taken the time to write to express my thanks for your amazing support during this special event. Perhaps, that has been a good thing, because I am still trying to process how wonderful it was to have so many of you share in this special event in my and Shannon’s life.
For those of you who aren’t aware, Max Mayo and Kathy Evans organized a bus load of people to travel to Brentwood and a huge meal for us to share before the worship service in which I was commissioned. As I recall, there were 70 – 80 of you who made the trip, either on the bus or in your own cars. Shannon and I were both moved by your willingness and desire to be a part of this! During our meal together, I tried to express how I felt about your presence and your prayers there with us, but I was pretty much “speechless” – which is rare (just ask Shannon)!
As I reflect on the whole thing, I think the most meaningful part of the service
happened as we candidates for commissioning stood in front of the congregation of nearly 2000 Christians. The bishop asked the congregation, representing the whole Body of Christ, “We ask you, people of God, to declare your assent to the consecration of these persons. Do you trust they are worthy, by God’s grace, to be consecrated?” The congregation responded, “We do! Thanks be to God!” The bishop continued, “Will you uphold them in their ministry?” The congregation responded, “With God’s help, we will!”
I am sure there are only a few things that will ever happen to me that will be as
precious as hearing so many of YOUR voices in the midst of that great gathering of believers. YOUR voices - the voices of those who know me best - agreeing that I am called by God to serve Jesus Christ in this way, agreeing that I am ready for this step, agreeing to uphold all of us who were commissioned and ordained that day. I shall never forget hearing each of your voices in that place…and hearing so many others through your prayers, your love, and your support.
Thank you for blessing Shannon and me in this way, and thank you for your faithfulness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ which motivates me daily! Thank you also for the beautiful chalice and paten. I will treasure it always. I also want to express my profound gratitude to Max and Kathy for taking so much time out of their busy schedules to facilitate this tremendous outpouring of love. You did not have time to do this, but you did it anyway! I praise God for both of you!
My prayer is that the tremendous love you have shown me will be multiplied by God himself and poured out on ALL of those who come through these doors looking for hope in Christ Jesus.
Drew