I find it hard to believe that this is happening. On October 9, I met with my Rector and priest-in-charge and shared with her my sense of calling into the diaconate. We had a really good conversation. She referred me to the diocesan website, which I had already visited and told me to print out the nomination form for Holy Orders. That same day, I was officially trained by my parish to be a Lay Eucharistic Minister (LEM). Essentially LEMs assist the priest with serving communion during mass and also takes communion out with the sick and infirmed. I've already served at St. Mary's during the Bishop's visitation, and am scheduled to serve again in December for the Christmas Eucharist.
I am fortunate enough to be a part of two vibrant communities of faith. I teach at an Episcopal girls school with a full-time episcopal chaplain on staff and in-residence, and my church home, St. Ambrose Episcopal Church. After prayer and contemplation, I decided that it would be best that I begin my quest for holy orders through St. Mary's Chapel. I have spoken with both my former and current chaplains and they are esctatic for me. St. Mary's is where I was first introduced to the Episcopal Church and I have access to my chaplain five days a week. Her office is literally under mine. My discernment committee will be comprised of students and collegues from St. Mary's as well as some of my church members from St. Ambrose.
I've just jumped through the first hoop of my nomination to Holy Orders. As of October 19, 2010, my nomination form was filled out by the Reverend Ann Bonner-Stewart. The nomination form was mailed to the Diocesan house attentioned to the Bishop, a month and some change before the deadline of the first Sunday in Advent. This is only the beginning.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
So, why an Episcopalian?
That's a good question. I have experienced the presence of God, the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit in a myriad of ways. I grew up in the Missionary Baptist Church, was baptized at the age of seven, at which time, it was told to my grandmother that I would be a preacher. Up to this point, most of my life; childhood, adolesence, and adulthood, I have always been Baptist.
Then you have to throw in that I was educated in a Roman Catholic School right on up through Junior High School. The Catholic Church was presented to me in my day-to-day education. I guess you could say that I was Catholic Monday-Friday, and Baptist Saturday-Sunday. Before I committed to my present church home, I was spiritually fostered by a very historic and loving African Methodist Episcopal Church home. At. St. Paul AME, I was introduced to African Methodism. I love and embrace the motto of the church, God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother. The AME Church was established by Bishop Richard Allen, and was the first Christian denomination estblished by african-americans because they were forced to sit in the gallery at a Methodist Church in Philadelphia.
If you would have told me two years ago that I would be an Episcopalian, I would have laughed and said no way Jose. But, I am a confirmed communicant in good standing at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church. This church dates back to 1868, and has a rich history locally and in the state of North Carolina. Many saints have gathered to worship through the years. But my introduction to the Episcopal Church (TEC) came in the Fall of 2004. It was during this time that I began to teach Spanish at Saint Mary's School, formerly St. Mary's College in Raleigh, NC.
It was in the school's chapel and eucharist services that I fell in love with the liturgy of the word and sacrament. It was there that I developed a fondness for the contemplativeness of corporate worship. It was there that I made contact with two people that mentored me spiritually, the Reverends Andrea Wigodsky Rohrs, and Ann Bonner-Stewart. It was at St. Mary's chapel where I heard my bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Curry minister to me for the first time. It was at St. Mary's Chapel where I began to work in ministry, planning for the MLK Chapel Service, Heritage Chapel Services, Episcopal Farm Worker Ministry Haitian Relief and sharing my journey of faith in the Fellow Travelers program. It was also at St. Mary's where the Millenium Development Goals of the Episcopal Church were presented to me. These eight deliniated items are things that are very passionate to me. It was at that point that I knew I wanted to be an Episcopalian, and an even better Christian. I often tell people that I was Episcopalian for five years before I was confirmed. The Episcopal Church welcomed me and my imperfections. It is not perfect, but what church is? I am an Episcopalian because I know that I want to serve God, his people and his holy, catholic and apostolic church, in the hope that my works will find favor in his sight.
Then you have to throw in that I was educated in a Roman Catholic School right on up through Junior High School. The Catholic Church was presented to me in my day-to-day education. I guess you could say that I was Catholic Monday-Friday, and Baptist Saturday-Sunday. Before I committed to my present church home, I was spiritually fostered by a very historic and loving African Methodist Episcopal Church home. At. St. Paul AME, I was introduced to African Methodism. I love and embrace the motto of the church, God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother. The AME Church was established by Bishop Richard Allen, and was the first Christian denomination estblished by african-americans because they were forced to sit in the gallery at a Methodist Church in Philadelphia.
If you would have told me two years ago that I would be an Episcopalian, I would have laughed and said no way Jose. But, I am a confirmed communicant in good standing at St. Ambrose Episcopal Church. This church dates back to 1868, and has a rich history locally and in the state of North Carolina. Many saints have gathered to worship through the years. But my introduction to the Episcopal Church (TEC) came in the Fall of 2004. It was during this time that I began to teach Spanish at Saint Mary's School, formerly St. Mary's College in Raleigh, NC.
It was in the school's chapel and eucharist services that I fell in love with the liturgy of the word and sacrament. It was there that I developed a fondness for the contemplativeness of corporate worship. It was there that I made contact with two people that mentored me spiritually, the Reverends Andrea Wigodsky Rohrs, and Ann Bonner-Stewart. It was at St. Mary's chapel where I heard my bishop, the Right Reverend Michael Curry minister to me for the first time. It was at St. Mary's Chapel where I began to work in ministry, planning for the MLK Chapel Service, Heritage Chapel Services, Episcopal Farm Worker Ministry Haitian Relief and sharing my journey of faith in the Fellow Travelers program. It was also at St. Mary's where the Millenium Development Goals of the Episcopal Church were presented to me. These eight deliniated items are things that are very passionate to me. It was at that point that I knew I wanted to be an Episcopalian, and an even better Christian. I often tell people that I was Episcopalian for five years before I was confirmed. The Episcopal Church welcomed me and my imperfections. It is not perfect, but what church is? I am an Episcopalian because I know that I want to serve God, his people and his holy, catholic and apostolic church, in the hope that my works will find favor in his sight.
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