Yesterday

So I am officially a diaconal minister in my church. Yesterday I joined a short but growing list of those in this Lutheran church consecrated to the ministry of word and service... committed to working for social justice, to ministry at the margins. Yesterday my all-time favorite professor preached to us about a verse from the prophet Micah (6:8): "And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God?" Three principles: justice, kindness, humility. (That's the word part.) And three verbs: do, love, walk. (That's the service.)

So many of my most treasured friends were able to come and celebrate with me. I was overwhelmed by their encouragement and their kind words. I was overwhelmed by the sense of belonging again to something bigger and stronger than myself--my family, Suite 324, my college, the community of diaconal ministers, the Christian community...

I was also honored to have the witness of four other diaconal ministers at my consecration: Gloria, serving as a hospice chaplain; Joanne, regional coordinator for a national Lutheran volunteer organization; Lake, professor of ethics; and Melissa, assistant to the director of the "Discovering and Claiming our Callings" initiative. They were all there to lay their hands on my shoulders and to welcome me to their community. The banner that hung just below the cross-window proclaimed, "Seek out those places..." This same banner has hung at the consecration of nearly every diaconal minister, encouraging us to boldly go.

Here I am, send me!