I wrote earlier this week about repeating myself. Follow the link if you want to read that, because I'm not going to repeat all that. I repeat, I will not repeat myself.
Of course, if you wish to be encircled in a flaming black hole of words, you'll read it and discover that I was basically saying that repeating yourself is okay. The idea is that I can imagine Jesus told some of the same stories a few times, repeating Himself for emphasis. So perhaps it's okay if we do the same.
But that is the very thing that many people seem to rail against in Church today. I'm including myself in this, of course. We want fresh. We want new. We want different...unless, of course, that involves change. Don't even get me started on change.
I was at our denominational annual meeting just last week. It's a fun, 2-day event where you get to sit on uncomfortable chairs and listen to everyone else talk. I think everyone should go at least once. After sitting in those chairs all day, they invite you back to sit again while the new guys get ordained.
I thought about skipping it. I wanted to skip it. But then I recalled a fellow youth pastor was getting ordained, so I went. Like I've gone for years before. The agenda hasn't changed. A few songs. An inspirational message. And then the call to the ordinand and communion. (Spell check is telling me ordinand isn't a word, but my Bishop uses it every year, so I know it is. Take that spell check!)
The charge to the ordinand is always the same. I paid most close attention in 2004, when I was ordained. But last week, as my butt became very uncomfortable, I tried listening again. I tuned out when I heard the Bishop remind the pastors that ours was a call to humility and quietude.
Oops! I guess it is good for me to hear the same message a second time. Or perhaps even more. Maybe reminding myself every year of my charge is a good idea.
Of course, if you wish to be encircled in a flaming black hole of words, you'll read it and discover that I was basically saying that repeating yourself is okay. The idea is that I can imagine Jesus told some of the same stories a few times, repeating Himself for emphasis. So perhaps it's okay if we do the same.
But that is the very thing that many people seem to rail against in Church today. I'm including myself in this, of course. We want fresh. We want new. We want different...unless, of course, that involves change. Don't even get me started on change.
I was at our denominational annual meeting just last week. It's a fun, 2-day event where you get to sit on uncomfortable chairs and listen to everyone else talk. I think everyone should go at least once. After sitting in those chairs all day, they invite you back to sit again while the new guys get ordained.
I thought about skipping it. I wanted to skip it. But then I recalled a fellow youth pastor was getting ordained, so I went. Like I've gone for years before. The agenda hasn't changed. A few songs. An inspirational message. And then the call to the ordinand and communion. (Spell check is telling me ordinand isn't a word, but my Bishop uses it every year, so I know it is. Take that spell check!)
The charge to the ordinand is always the same. I paid most close attention in 2004, when I was ordained. But last week, as my butt became very uncomfortable, I tried listening again. I tuned out when I heard the Bishop remind the pastors that ours was a call to humility and quietude.
Oops! I guess it is good for me to hear the same message a second time. Or perhaps even more. Maybe reminding myself every year of my charge is a good idea.
Comments