A Garden Ordination

Link to Video (4'38")

Some may have wondered why St Peter's Church was not used for this... and when rain threatened (but then the sun came out) the hall area of St Peter's was the venue instead.

This was quite a deliberate choice by Bishop Steven and Joel, influenced by a variety of factors. Joel has recent connections with St Peter's Caversham (where he has been serving as Deacon) and St Martha's Church where Joel and Deborah have found a spiritual home since coming to Dunedin. 

The main driver for this very different setting is the idea of "faith on the edges", of not needing to own a church building to be able to operate as a faith community, of blurring the boundaries. All of this as well as connecting in very real ways with the neighbourhoods we are part of, is important to Joel. Being ordained in a place that was a transition between sacred spaces and the glories of God's creation was significant for this occasion.  

Joel's order of service cover pictured a sand dune, beach and the sea... one of those "thin places" where God can be experienced, the kind of location where Jesus climbed into a boat and spoke to people on the shore who were hungry for physical and spiritual nourishment.

Rev'd Edward Prebble from St Martha's sermon was based on Joshua 3, 1-17. This is a less well known but significant passage of scripture that describes a final crossing of the river Jordan, led by priests holding the Ark of the Covenant. In this scripture, when the ark enters the flooded waters, the river piles up to let the people through to the other side safely. Edward made three observations about this story:

1. It is a model for all miracle stories where people are asked to do something ordinary… and a miracle takes place. "Put water into those jars... go and wash yourself in the river... roll away that stone". All precursors for transformation, healing and resurrections. 
2. The river Jordan symbolises (and is a model) of how we get to God. For all of us, we come to faith by crossing a river (a divide) and being washed in it (baptism).
3. The story also says something profound about the role of a priest. Here, priests facilitated getting people to a place where God could do something for them. This is the same today, with a priest also having a role in protecting the treasure of the gospel i.e.  the conviction deep in our soul that God is here…especially in the gathering of God’s people. 

At times (as in this particular scripture) priests need to be in the thick of the people, and at other times they need to be leading the way. But always, a priest needs to listen to God about what to do, listen for and to God’s word and work. We need priests like Joel to be there where the people are, where the needs are.

Edward concluded by reminding the congregation that the story talks about priests in the plural: Joel is one part of a huge number of past and present people who have been ordained into this order, no priest has to carry it all on their own. For Joel, the simple message was: Just go... and be their priest.

Priests and lay people gathered around Joel to present him to Bishop Steven, who outlined what it was to hold this office in the church. Joel and the congregation  confirmed his call to the priesthood, and later in the service Joel reaffirmed his faith and his commitment to what is involved in this vocation. Invocations, prayers, the laying on of hands took place, and Bishop Steve presented (at that exact moment!) the newest priest in the world.

Joel was given a licence from the Bishop to be a Priest in the Diocese of Dunedin.

Please pray for Joel and Deborah as they continue to ponder where God may be leading them in this next phase of their lives.