sustain:if:able kiwi

ordination sermon: creationary re John the Baptist

A creationary: a space to be creative with the lectionary. For more resources go here.

I had the privilege of being asked to preach at the Uniting Church ordination of five folk today. For those interested, here is the sermon. A story, some theology and integration with U2’s Stand up comedy. (Since it is also based on the lectionary text for the day (Matthew 3:1-12), John the Baptist, I’ve added it to the creationary). (more…)

taking some ordination theology for a spin

So on Sunday I’m preaching at the ordination of five Uniting church ministers – all bright and brand, shiny, new like. It will bring to 20 the number of ministers ordained here in South Australia this year. Which is exciting and has left us all wondering what God is up to among us.

Anyhow, my privilege is to preach and the Lectionary text is Matthew 3:1-12, which is about John the Baptist’s – the wildman “pioneer leader” – and his call for repentance and baptism. How to apply the narrative of John the Baptist to ordination?

So after much pondering, and some reading, I wonder if the text offers us a way of viewing ordination as

an invitation to share in the processes of baptism
of ourselves,
and others,
as a life long journey shaped by Christian practices
that remind us of
God’s absence (how unlike God we are) – eyes open to the world – how we allocate our resources
and presence (how much God likes us) – hands open to God – forgive our sins.

I’m drawing here from Augustine’s concept of double almsgiving – forgive and it will be forgiven and how we allocate our resources), as outlined in Inquiring After God: Classic and Contemporary Readings (Blackwell Readings in Modern Theology) and Rowan Williams understanding of church in Ponder These Things: Praying With Icons of the Virgin.

Those are my current thoughts. Feedback welcome.