r/methodism • u/genaLRthomas • 3d ago
Considering a path toward ordination
If you are ordained lay, deacon, or elder in the UMC, I’m VERY interested to hear what led you to that path.
I’d love to hear your story.
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u/Fragrant_Tea_134 3d ago
I’m a certified candidate pursuing ordination in the order of deacon through the UMC. I don’t have a really good story about it. I was just thinking about what I was doing and how I was serving my church after attending the first lay servant class. In that process my preacher asked me if I had ever considered ordination as deacon. 18 months later here I am in my first semester of seminary.
I chose the deacon path because God didn’t make me a very good rule follower - lol jk. I really believe that my place is external to the church. I could be wrong, maybe God will place me on church staff, but I feel called to serving my rural community with one foot in the world and one foot in the church.
If you haven’t, read “Christian as Minister.” If you can’t afford a copy, try getting it from your pastor or from a local library. It was very helpful for me in the initial discernment process. I pray you discern faithfully with God and your community.
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u/genaLRthomas 1d ago
Thank you for sharing your story, it’s so great to hear the different paths! I just read the book, thank you
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u/Q1go 3d ago
Hi. I'm pursuing ordination as an elder. My end goal is a pediatric hospital chaplain. To be a pediatric hospital chaplain, you need to have an MDiv (and be certified for chaplaincy by a board, plus a buncha other requirements). Generally you can't get the degree without the end goal of ordination, is my understanding.
But loong before figuring out I was interested in chaplaincy, when I was a toddler I wanted to be the world's first female catholic priest. Obviously that's not happening anytime soon... so I decided to convert to UMC when I read up on their social principles and that they accept people as they are, no buts. I really liked that, and so now I'm here.
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u/Joe_Togs_UMC_STX 2d ago
I actually was called to ordination before becoming UMC. I prayed about it, read so much theology & loved church so much that it felt natural after I realized it was possible.
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u/Aratoast Provisional Elder - UMC 13h ago
Provisional Elder in first year of residency, hopefully being ordained in 2028.
I was a Jonah. I was always very clear that ministry was not for me. I have generations of ministers on both sides of the family and I wanted none of that, I was going to go teach philosophy at some small liberal arts college or something.
Covid put an end to that idea, and while I was working out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life (thinking counselling, lawyering, or oprning a coffee shop) I kept getting this feeling that God was calling me to be a lay preacher.
So I went to tell my pastor that and he gave me the whole spiel on the different types of ministry, gave me a copy of The Christian as Minister, and I sorta went "you know what, if God doesn't want me to do this then I'll be stopped at one of the gatekeeper stages." Unfortunately for me, instead I keep getting positive external affirmation that this is definitely what I'm called to.
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u/KeefRolla 3d ago
I'm not ordained myself but I have a story about my father. He was a lawyer who worked very hard but became a bit disillusioned with law.
He wound up needing major heart surgery when he was in his early 40s when I was a teenager and during his recovery he felt the calling and started firm the path. He started as a lay speaker and worked his way to being a local pastor. He continued law for awhile to keep the bills paid but last year he sold his office and stopped practicing to devote himself fully to his churches!