Here is three parts of a paper I wrote for the District Board on Ordianed Ministry. Feel free to comment
Call to Ordained Ministry
This summer I was blessed to participate at junior high camp at Bridgeport. Every year, we have a call to ministry, which is an opportunity for youth to stand up and start their discovery and journey toward some form of ministry. One of the youth from my cabin walked up to me and shared with me felt like he had a call to ministry and thought it would be something good to “fall back on” in case his first option doesn’t pan out.
My call to ministry is not a “fall back” option in my life. It is where God is calling me to be in service to God’s people. I tried to do different things in my life, but I have always been drawn back to being in service to God’s people and the church. One of those things that I realize that I need to do is to remain true to the calling God has put on my life.
My call to ministry came to me while I was in high school and through some detours in life. I am excited to see where God is leading me as I continue on the path to ordained ministry. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to see different ministry settings and develop tools to help me grow in my faith and also be a more effective minister for Jesus Christ.
The tools that I bring to ministry are an openness to what God has in store for my life, a willingness to serve those in the congregation, and integrity to follow God’s plan and not to let my own agenda prevail. I am dedicated to helping God’s people discover their gifts and talents to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
This summer I was blessed to participate at junior high camp at Bridgeport. Every year, we have a call to ministry, which is an opportunity for youth to stand up and start their discovery and journey toward some form of ministry. One of the youth from my cabin walked up to me and shared with me felt like he had a call to ministry and thought it would be something good to “fall back on” in case his first option doesn’t pan out.
My call to ministry is not a “fall back” option in my life. It is where God is calling me to be in service to God’s people. I tried to do different things in my life, but I have always been drawn back to being in service to God’s people and the church. One of those things that I realize that I need to do is to remain true to the calling God has put on my life.
My call to ministry came to me while I was in high school and through some detours in life. I am excited to see where God is leading me as I continue on the path to ordained ministry. Over the past two years, I have had the opportunity to see different ministry settings and develop tools to help me grow in my faith and also be a more effective minister for Jesus Christ.
The tools that I bring to ministry are an openness to what God has in store for my life, a willingness to serve those in the congregation, and integrity to follow God’s plan and not to let my own agenda prevail. I am dedicated to helping God’s people discover their gifts and talents to make disciples for Jesus Christ.
Describe your personal experience of God and the understanding of God you derive from biblical, theological, and historical sources.
My personal experience of God is that God is a loving God who wants all of humankind to be connected to God. We see this in the biblical narrative where God created humankind and was in relationship with them in the Garden of Eden. After eating the forbidden fruit and the banishment from God’s presence, the Old Testament tells the story of how God continually called God’s people to come back and be in relationship with God.
God provided laws and covenants for the Israelites, not to give them rules to live by but to provide opportunities for the Israelites to draw closer to God. The prophets were also sent to tell God’s people that they were moving farther away from God. In order to bring us closer to God, God sent Jesus to bridge the gap between humankind and God. With God becoming flesh and living as we live here on earth, we have a personal connection with God.
Paul writes that we are the body of Christ, and that when the body of Christ is actively serving others, we a taking Christ to the world. I have personally seen this while working with the youth of my congregation and being in mission around the country and in Mexico. When the body of Christ is working toward bringing restoration to God’s people either in the local church or outside the church walls then we are all connected as one to the One who created us.
Discuss your understanding of the primary characteristics of United Methodist polity.
The primary characteristics of the United Methodist Church consist of the constitution, doctrinal standards, ministry of Christians, social principles, and the organization and administration of the church. Each of these characteristics connects our congregations together for the goal of making disciples.
As the church uses the itinerate and connectional systems, I am reminded that the church does not belong to one specific pastor, but the church belongs to God and I am a servant of the church. The use of the itinerancy places the importance on the different gifts and graces given to individual pastors and congregations by the Holy Spirit to live out the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19 – 20.
Being a connectional church allows all congregations of the United Methodist Church to expand their reach in the world. Looking beyond the walls to the local community or country the polity of the church helps each congregation expand their reach to make a difference in people’s lives for Jesus Christ.
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