Sunday I participated in something I’ve only ever done once before, and I suspect many here may never have done! Grab a glass of ceremonial wine (or whatever other beverage you’re drinking) and step below the story break to find out what I got to do yesterday!
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As many of you are aware, I have been a Unitarian Universalist for almost a quarter century. It’s as important to my identity as my progressive Democratic leanings, except I prosyletize about 99% less often about my faith than I do my politics :).
My congregation for at least the past decade has served as a “teaching congregation” so to speak. In addition to our settled minister, we have ministerial interns who after finishing formal classes come for a two-year stay. During this time they learn how to put all that education into practice, planning and leading worship services, discovering how congregations ‘work’ and how clergy fits in. At some point during their stay, they meet with the UU Ministerial Fellowship Committee, the body that interviews candidates and credentials them as ready for ministry.
So. Much. Bureaucracy (which is a good thing, making sure candidates are prepared for and mentally fit to serve!). But when all of that is said and done and preliminary fellowship has been granted, the individual STILL isn’t a UU minister.
That happens when the person is ordained. I know you’re thinking of a line of candidates and some hierarchical person coming to give a blessing and POOF! Ordained! But that’s not how Unitarian Universalists do it… in our denomination, only congregations can ordain someone, and THAT is what we did yesterday!
Our previous student minister asked her home congregation (ie, the one she attends as a congregation member) and we her internship congregation to share the ordination process. In a beautiful ceremony filled with music, inspirational words, moments of seriousness and moments of laughter, we got to a point where the presidents of each congregation said “We recognize you as a minister” and then we congregation members solemnly said that WE ordain her to the ministry. And then cake, because of course there was cake!!
It is important to me both in my religious as well as my secular life that power is given BY the people to those who we feel best will use that power for the good of all. The person we ordained yesterday plans to go into hospital chaplaincy; using their considerable gifts of kindness, wisdom, empathy and comfort to be present for people in their hardest hours. It was an honor to be part of the ceremony making that path possible.
What did YOU do last weekend, and how’s your Monday so far? Come join us in the comments after perusing the trio of Top Comments, Mojo and Pictures that make up the backbone of this community diary series, and which we literally cannot do without your participation!!!
TOP COMMENTS
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From MikeTheLiberal:
In subir’s diary And just like that, they're all for impunity, hummingbird4015 made a comment downthread from one of my comments that went from woman-shaming in a masculine society to a whole quantum realization of us humans. Only on dKos can you get a comment like that!
From 2thanks:
sdosch has this excellent comment in my Good News Diary.
From Tamar:
very brief comment from procrastn8 about how the rich rise to the top. In Mystic54’s Updated-Kavanaugh Alibi: He Said He Wasn’t At The Party. One Problem With That.
From McGovern78:
Recommend ontheleftcoast for this comment.
From BeninSC:
Please read this comment by Orinoco, and the most appreciative thread below it! In Laura Clawson’s terrific diary about Ted Cruz advocating that Amber Guyger deserves to keep her job after murdering Botham Jean.
Highlighted by Cmae:
Is this full-of-disgust-and-contempt comment by Pogoatty, about how our women cannot remember anything correctly unless ratified and validated by a conservative white man. We at Top Comments share that disgust and contempt.
Highlighted by letterrip:
Is this perceptive comment by sharman about errors in reply made by the disgusting Supreme Court nominee about the ‘incident.’ His words revealed more truth than he intended.
Highlighted by 2thanks:
Is this incredulous comment by anon004 on the stupidity of the 65 women defense used by Republicans to defend Kavanaugh.
Highlighted by susans:
This is a Top Comments first! Recommended by susans, ALL the comments in samanthab’s New Day Cafe diary today! (You don’t have to read them all, really, but it’s nice to find a rich vein of comments!)
TOP MOJO
Top Mojo for yesterday, September 16th 2018, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you mik for the mojo magic! For those of you interested in How Top Mojo Works, please see his diary on FAQing Top Mojo.
TOP PICTURES
Top Pictures for yesterday, September 16th 2018. Click any picture to be taken to the full comment or picture. Thank you jotter!
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Song sung yesterday by the original artists (Emma’s Revolution is a favorite of mine and to hear them live was both a surprise and a joy!)