Part 3: Matthew 25 Sermon Series, Parable of the Talents
Preached at Magnolia UMC on 8/16/10
Audio Clip: Parable of the Talents
There is not yet a transcription of this audio clip. This post will be updated if/when one becomes available.
Part 2: Matthew 25 Sermon Series, Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
Preached at Magnolia UMC on 8/9/10
Audio Clip: Parable of the Sheep and the Goats
There is not yet a transcription of this audio clip. This post will be updated if/when one becomes available.
I was not in church on August 21st, because I was in Nashville with my husband Scott. The United Methodist Church had flown us down to Nashville for my Endorsement interview with the United Methodist Endorsing Agency (UMEA). Endorsement is for clergy who are serving in extension ministries, i.e. ministries outside of serving as pastor of a local church. The 2008 Book of Discipline describes Endorsement in ¶1421.5:
Endorsement is the credential which certifies that a clergyperson performs a valid ministry of The United Methodist Church and has presented evidence of required specialized education, training, skills, and, when required, professional certification necessary to perform that ministry.
The church—through apportionment funds as paid by local churches, including Redmond UMC—pays for travel and lodging of endorsement candidates and their spouses for the one-time interview. The fact that the church uses its resources in this way shows the commitment the UMC has made to supporting clergy in extension ministries. They truly take seriously their charge not just to certify us in the particular extension ministry in which we are working, but also to encourage, challenge us, hold us accountable, and support us and our spouses.
Because it doesn’t end at the endorsement interviews. Once you are endorsed, you are part of a community of extension ministers. The UMEA provides several retreats each year and other communications to support, encourage, and provide pastoral care for those of us in extension ministry. They truly take seriously the exhortation in 1 Thessalonians 5:11 to “encourage one another and build each other up.”
It may be tempting at times to write off processes like this as just one more “hoop” to jump through. But I find great value in the process of discerning, with the help of the committee, my readiness and maturity in the field to which I have been called. Endorsement is one of several other processes—ordination, certification in professional organizations such as the American Association of Pastoral Counselors, and WA State Licensure—that challenges me to build my skills, maintain my competency, and care for my own mental, physical, and spiritual needs.
Oh and just in case you were wondering, the committee that interviewed me did unanimously vote to recommend me for Endorsement. But as usual in the United Methodist Church structure, it won’t be official until the endorsing board approves it at their meeting in October. And so it goes—the blessings and drawbacks of a connectional church!