The Rev. Louisa Parsons ordained
Jan. 25 at St. James in Knoxville

From left, the Rev. Larry Beach, the Rev. Kenneth Sherfick, Bishop Charles vonRosenberg, the Rev. Louisa Parsons, the Rev. Joesph H. Ballard Jr., the Rev. Al Minor and the Rev. Bill Jones gathered in the nave of St. James following the Jan. 25 ordination of the Rev. Louisa Parsons. (Photo by M.Canady)

Excerpt from St. James’ newsletter:

To my St. James family:

I have been deeply touched by all the support that each of you have given me througout this process. The many prayers, notes and conversations I have been gifted with have meant so much. You have been critical in my formation as a priest, and I look forward to continuing to share together in our spiritual journeys. God has richly blesed me with each of you and with this opportunity to serve together as Christ’s hands and feet in the world.

Faithfully,

Lou

Excerpt from St. Stephen’s newsletter:

Dear Friends in Christ,

Your prayers, presence, and service made my ordination a wonderful, deeply touching occasion. Having so many of you there, praying and singing and rejoicing with me, was at the heart of what an ordination is about: the prayerful designation of one person to serve the community as a reminder of Christ’s presence among us.

God willing and the people consenting,” ordination invitations often read. The making of a priest takes both of these, as well as the individual’s willingness to say both “Woe is me” and “Here I am,” as Jim Burns so aptly reminded us in his sermon. You presented me to our chief pastor, assured him that you believe I am an acceptable candidate and promised to help me be your priest. You prayed with me and him for the Holy Spirit to do God’s work in forming and strengthening me for this life. You sang hymns with me about binding ourselves to the power of our Triune God and about Christ as the sure foundation of our life together. You walked with me into the church and out of the church, as we will accompany each other on this journey into Christ. You accepted and confirmed my blessing with your Amens.

Ordinations do not “elevate”; they consecrate or set aside for a particular purpose on behalf of the community. Ordinations designate one to serve as an icon for a particular facet of what it means to be God’s priestly people. Bishops represent unity in Christ; deacons represent service in the world; priests embody the ways that God touches us with the Spirit through the things of this world—in cleansing, feeding, loving, forgiving, blessing and otherwise expressing the Good News of God for us. May I be a reminder to you (as you will be to me) that the Spirit empowers us all in these ways of being Christ’s continuing presence in the world.

Claire +