Hethersett a norfolk village on the web

I am the sort of person who has a tendency to look back after an event and find all manner of ways to have made it better. A few weeks ago a good friend told me to enjoy ordination to the full, because it was a once in a lifetime event. As I sit at my desk and write this, it is exactly one week since the day of my ordination and it was one of those perfect days when even I wouldn’t have changed one thing.

The day started in a bit of a frenzy as we had breakfast, showered and beautified ourselves prior to our photo call with the Methodist Recorder at 9:00am outside The Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool. I had been called a couple of weeks before to say that the photographer had picked a few families to appear in a forthcoming edition, so watch out those of you who take the Methodist Recorder.

At 9:30am I joined the other 61 ordinands (51 presbyters and 10 deacons) as we were briefed on what would happen during the morning service and where we should walk and stand etc. This also gave David Deeks (the General Secretary of The Methodist Church) an opportunity to practice some of my colleagues somewhat unpronounceable names.

As 10:30am approached we were paraded round to the conference centre, where we processed into the room containing almost 2000 people. The service was a very moving occasion, particularly as we were each called by name and walked onto the platform to be received into the full connexion of the Methodist Church. It was here that we made our first vows committing us to the life of ministry within the Methodist Church.

This event was the climax of the service and after we had sung Give Me the Faith, we processed back out of the conference centre with the president and vice president to a rapturous applause. It was a very emotional end to the service. This was the first point for me to meet with friends and family who had travelled from Norfolk and West Yorkshire to be with us on this special day and it was a great joy to spend a few minutes with them before we hurried off to Blackpool for lunch.

A friend of ours in Bradford had very kindly organised Lindale Methodist Church in the south of Blackpool to lay on a three course meal for our family and friends. In all 32 of us sat down and enjoyed an excellent meal and first class fellowship. It was particularly wonderful for me to have friends from Calverley, St Andrews, Framingham Earl and Hethersett Churches, Colleagues from circuit and district, David and Frances Priestnall (David was our minister at St Andrews from 1988 – 1998 and was my supporting minister during the afternoon service) and of course members of my family around me on this special occasion.

Again there was a swift turnaround and we set off for Southport for the ordination service, during which a group of us were ordained into the ministry of the world church. I joined seven friends from Hartley Victoria College in Manchester and their supporting ministers for another round of briefing for what would happen to us during the afternoon. At this service there were 43 friends and family members in the congregation and David was a real support to me as we spent time together prior to the service.

The afternoon was a very powerful and emotional time; particularly when we turned and faced the packed church of almost 500 people and they said in one voice “They are worthy” I felt the shivers in my spine and the lump in my throat. This was the pinnacle of six years training and a lifetime’s preparation. During the service I was ordained by the laying on of hands and was presented with a Bible to commemorate the occasion. The service reached its climax as the whole congregation shared in communion and I was privileged to be joined at the table by members of my family.

I could go on and write pages more about the event, suffice it to say, it was one of the proudest moments of my life and I am sure that there was rejoicing on earth and in heaven for all of us gathered there. Ordination is of course far more than simply achieving a goal. It is a lifelong commitment to working for God and serving him through the life of his church. There is something very humbling knowing that after all we are nothing more than servants.

I am so very thankful for all the people who came and shared the day with me, for the people who have been a continual prayerful support throughout my training and for the great many cards and gifts I have received.

We returned to our room in The Norbreck Castle Hotel on Sunday evening, shattered and exhausted, but on cloud nine, for this had been a perfect day. My ordination does not in any way mark the ending; rather it marks the beginning of a lifetime of ministry. Derek