A Message from Ellen
September 28, 2022
September 28, 2022
Dear Friends,
At the Session Meeting in September, the Session approved setting Sunday, November 20th as the date on which we will be able to ordain Ed Black to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament! Now that we have that date settled, I want to ask you to put it on your calendars! It will be a fun day and a celebration in worship and afterwards! Dr. Brad Smith, from Eastminster, will be our preacher that day, and a commission of elders and preachers from Trinity Presbytery will join us in worship to actually carry out the ritual of ordination.
In the Presbyterian Church, ministers are only ordained to serve AFTER they have been called (voted on) by the Congregation (we did that in August) and examined by the Presbytery. Presbytery has already examined Ed extensively in a small group of Elders and Ministers who serve through the Presbytery for this purpose. Once, the whole Presbytery votes, on November 15th, to affirm that examination and to approve Ed’s faith statement, journey of faith statement, and the terms of call approved by our congregation, THEN we can ordain him. It is a collaborative (and slow) process. But we intend to celebrate, and your presence is requested!!! Please mark your calendars for November 20th.
While Ed is already doing the work of the Associate for Care and Discipleship, this ordination marks the end of a very long and arduous journey for him and for his family. He officially becomes our Associate Pastor for Care and Discipleship on November 20th. I am excited to have Ed as a colleague in ministry, and he joins a wonderful and strong staff already at FLPC. I am grateful for each of the FLPC staff members. Please help me appreciate each of them! And say a special word of congratulations to Ed for nearing the end of this long journey towards ordination! Yay, church!
See you in worship (and afterwards for Faith Formation classes!),
Ellen
Ellen F. Skidmore