Words from Bede Circuit
Dear Friends
27th June 2021 will be a date which will be remembered for many reasons. For Rev Matt Sheard the day he was ordained as a Presbyter in the Methodist Church. The day he has looked towards for many years- since the circumstances around hearing the call, to candidating, to selection committees, to college, probation. This process can and does take many years. There is a sense he has arrived, achieved his goal and yet in some ways it has only begun. Not many ministers though have gone through probation in a time of a pandemic. We are privileged to have Matt working among us.
Within the ordination service the set Gospel Reading is John 20: 19-29. This is the account of Jesus appearing to the disciples, in a locked room following the resurrection. Jesus breathes upon them the Holy Spirit. A week later Jesus appears a second time, this time Thomas is with them. Jesus shares his peace with them, and then when Thomas sees Jesus he bows before him and says, `My Lord and my God.’
It is the same Spirit we ask to be upon Matt on this day.
Within the ordination service the ordinands are presented to the President, and then President then says,
Sisters and brothers in Christ, these are the persons whom we intend, in God’s name, to ordain to the Ministry of Christ’s holy Church in the Order of Presbyters.
Their call has been tested in preparation for this ministry and they have been found to be of sound learning and faithful to their vocation.
We ask you to declare your assent to their ordination.
Do you believe and trust that they are, by God’s grace, worthy to be ordained?
Response: THEY ARE WORTHY
Will you uphold them in their ministry?
Response: WE WILL UPHOLD THEM
The responses made by the congregation represent the responses of the people of God. I am sure we would want to join in with these responses for Matt as we promise to continue to uphold him in the ministry to which God has called him.
The ordination service can be followed on You Tube www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1NQowC_Z_k
It starts on Sunday 27th June at 4pm.
SERVICES AND ONLINE DETAILS
No weekly Zoom services until September. We are planning an Easter Offering service on Zoom on August 22nd at 6.00pm. More details to come.
A new series of Zoom Bible studies continue on Mondays at 7pm and Thursdays at 10.30am led by Ian Stimpson our Evangelism Enabler on Faith sharing.
Wednesday prayers at 10am continue as well on Zoom.
There are service sheets for use at home.
For more information, please contact your pastoral visitor or Church Steward.
With good wishes and prayers
Revd Jane Carter on behalf of the Bede Circuit staff team