I posted yesterday that I would be spending the first half of this week in Fort Worth attending Annual Conference. To begin our time of conferencing together the past two years, we have participated in a Memorial Service to honor all those clergy and laity who have passed away in the last year. We do so to be reminded that as we continue the work of the church we do so with a “great cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us.
While the clergy names are called out individually, the names of all the laity are printed in the worship guide and placed on the altar during the service. As you might imagine, with over 300 churches represented, there are too many names to say out loud. As the service was beginning I found myself browsing through that extensive list of names and I came upon one that put a lump in my throat and brought a tear to my eye. I was scanning over the churches that my dad had served, each of them representing another part of my childhood. While looking at the names for First United Methodist Church Granbury, I saw the name of Jim Cogdell.
Jim and his wife Cora were faithful members of First United Methodist Granbury, which my Dad served during my High School years. They were a wonderful blessing to my entire family, but Jim and Cora really went the extra mile for me.
When I decided to take the position of student intern at the Methodist Student Center as a next step towards responding to my call to ministry, Jim and Cora sent me $100 to help fund that position. I was amazed at that level of generosity, but deeply humbled each subsequent month when another check for that amount found it’s way to the mailbox of the Texas A&M Wesley Foundation.
When I told Jim and Cora that I believed God was calling me into ordained ministry, they believed me… maybe even more than I believed myself. Their act of generosity was one of many that were a great source of encouragement to me as I continued to discern my call to full time Christian service. I’ve never forgotten that feeling, and how moved I was to know that others saw in me something that I was only beginning to see in myself.
Tonight, during the service of ordination, I will kneel at the altar at First United Methodist Fort Worth before my Bishop along with my two sponsor Elders; my father, Rev. Mike Alexander and Rev. Mike Ramsdell and my District Superintendent and dear family friend, Rev. Don Scott. They will lay their hands on me and I will be ordained as a full Elder in the United Methodist Church.
Today is a day I’ve been anticipating for almost 16 years. I’ve invested myself in a lengthy process in order for this day to come. I’ve endured 81 hours of seminary education, written countless pages of essays and responses for my academic credentialing as well as my affirmation by the appropriate committees of our church. I’ve answer a lot of questions, and done my best to prepare myself for this sacred moment.
But seeing Jim’s name was a powerful reminder to me that I have not come to this place alone.
I am here because of people like Jim who believed in me and gave of themselves to help affirm what God what doing in my life. I simply would not be here without him. He is one of my saints who gave a part of his life in order for me to truly find mine.
From the depth of my heart, I owe so many a debt of gratitude.
My life is fully funded by God’s grace and the generosity of each of you.
Paul says it this way to the church at Ephesus.
“As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.”
That is the intention and aspiration of my life.
Thank you friends for this day.