Ordination News

Everything I learned today about "my" potential church was overshadowed by some ordination news. My Canon to the Ordinary sat across from me at lunch today at Mildred's Meals and said, "So I assume you know that you'll be ordained in February." No. I did not know. We had heard that at some point the diocese wanted to switch the diaconal ordinations so that they coincided with Annual Council, but we had not heard that would take place this year. So it looks like I will be ordained to the transitional diaconate on the morning of February 9, nearly 4 months sooner than expected. That means priestly ordination will take place next summer instead of next December. I hardly know what to think.

"My" chuch is in a very small town. Now I am from a small town, or what was once a small town, but Fayetteville, even when we first moved there, seems quite large in comparison. This town is about 2 blocks long. The zip code includes about 4,000 people. It is small. The church does have a rectory. I learned today that the church has a search committee, and so there will be a process in determining the next priest. I assume that I will be one of the candidates, but it is far from being a done deal. I got to talk with the current priest, so that was helpful. It will be more helpful to meet the people of the church. It's about 1 hour, 20 minutes from Richmond. It has two gas stations, a Tastee Freeze, and a couple of antique stores. Tomorrow I will drive up and visit nearby towns.

Did I say I'm getting ordained in February? I still feel stunned.