Last week I had the privilege of being surrounded by so many close friends and family, including many of you, as I was ordained to ministry in the United Church of Christ. It was a moment I won’t soon forget. It felt both sacred as a moment, and sacred as a shifting for what my life holds.
In preparing for that ordination, I need a lot of reflecting on my “call” to ministry- what exactly made me want to go down this path? I feel called by God to seek justice in this world for those that cannot get there alone. That is what I shared with our ordaining body, with my fellow clergy, and with my colleagues in justice work.
Now that I’m ordained, my focus is no longer on the next steps toward that pivotal moment, rather it is on the work ahead of me as I prepare to use this title and this calling to respond to the cries of the world. Often, you will hear Dan, Trent, Brooke, and even myself give a benediction that begins with “our worship has ended, and now our service begins.” The phrase has stuck with me since the first time I heard Dan share it. We have worshiped together in this place, and now we have to go back out into the world to see where God is calling us. As I move into this new phase of my journey, I continue to hear those words “and now our service begins.” My service has begun. My worship will continue but it cannot be deepened without growing myself outside of that space. I invite you to ask yourselves, where is your service leading you?
As staff at Texas Impact, all my attention is narrowed on the Texas legislative session that’s in full swing. Bills are being introduced, politics are playing out among the chambers, and most importantly, I’m keeping a close eye on how these issues impact everyday people in this state. My main focuses are on reproductive and LGBTQ+ rights. Both issues are facing threats daily, and yet I find myself thankful for the community of people that I know stand beside me as we work on these difficult, personal, topics.
Even if following the legislative session is not something you feel called to do, there is always some kind of justice work out there that can use your talents. No matter how small the issue may seem, your work can make an impact in the lives of others. Trent reminded us last week that we are all called to some kind of ministry work, ordained or not. To sustain us in times of turmoil, we have to lean on one another for support. We have to know that there are people around us that we can count on, and we have to try our best to be that person for others.
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