We’re All Ministers

We just returned home from Fort Worth last night after spending a couple of days down there at and around Carrie-Anne’s mom’s wedding. That’s right, Gram got married Monday afternoon to a wonderful guy she’s been dating for almost three years, Jim Cayey. Of course, we’ve seen this coming now for quite a while. But true to Gram’s form — and, honestly, just about everybody on that side of the family is like this — we got a whole ten day’s notice before the actual ceremony.

Carrie-Anne’s family is so laid back, so casual, so “whatever” about almost everything. So slow. It takes them an hour and a half to watch “60 Minutes.” They rarely make any plans very far in advance. They just make it up as they go along. And the wedding Monday in Jim’s living room in Arlington was kinda like that. It took a while to get everybody there and, then, to get everybody in place. But it happened; and it was beautiful.

It was my great honor and privilege to preside over the exchange of rings and vows. It was to my great delight when Jim mistook “belong wholly to you” in his vows to Judy for “be unholy to you.” (We re-did that part after everybody stopped laughing.) And it’s to my great joy that they both love each other so much. They’re perfect together.

Jim and Gram, may the love of Christ Jesus guard your new marriage relationship. May the blessings of heaven crown your marriage with increasing joy and peace. And may your hearts and lives be forever united in his truth and grace.

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I’m not the minister at the Central Church of Christ. I’m one of the ministers. We have nearly 800 ministers here and I’m blessed to be one of them. By virtue of our baptisms into Christ, by virtue of the new creation and the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit, we are all called to be Christian ministers. Every one of us.

“Ministry in the Christian church is derived from the ministry of Christ, who calls all persons to receive God’s gift of salvation and follow in the way of love and service. The whole church receives and accepts this call, and all Christians participate in this continuing ministry.”  ~Discipline, United Methodist Church

We all pray. We all comfort. We all proclaim the Gospel. We all serve sacrificially. We all give our lives daily for the benefit of the world.

We’re all ministers. Ordained by God to partner with him as he reconciles and restores, as he forgives and redeems. We’re all ministers in the name and manner of Jesus. We’re all ministers.

Peace,

Allan

2 Comments

  1. Ro

    I guess that was 10 more days’ notice than what we got for your wedding 🙂

  2. Mom

    Oh, I agree. I did get a few hours notice, but I wasn’t invited. Tell Judy “congratulations” for us.

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