May 28, 2023 - Pentecost - Pastor Emillie Binja's Ordination

I have attended many ordinations. I even written a song for an ordination of then Creator's Intern, now Pastor Amanda Llewellyn when she was called to Ascension. There was something powerful that drew fourteen members of Creator to drive up to Tacoma and participate in Pastor Emillie's ordination at St. Marks by the Narrows. St Marks is the church where she served her internship. A beautiful church. The building and the sanctuary were impressive. There were several James He Qi art pieces in the narthex. 

Everyone was invited (see the invitation) to attend the service. See the ordination here.

For many this was their first time attending an ordination. This ordination was unique for me as well, because it was an ordination of a young woman who was to become the pastor of the church I attend. 

When Bishop Rick Jaech asked the assembly those questions about supporting and praying for Pastor Emillie and her ministry, the response of "I will and I ask God to help me" took on a heightened sense of importance to me. When he asked all of us if we would recognize Emillie as a messenger of God a swelling, renewed commitment filled my heart, not only for Pastor Emillie, but for Creator, St. Marks, Peace and the entire community of people who had brought her, and that she had brought, to this call. 

So many who recognized her pastoral gifts were gathered in that beautiful St. Marks sanctuary. There were many that weren't there as well, yet the presence of those attending last Sunday was, in a word, joyous. Paul joked that Debi was busy meeting all of her new best friends. Many of us were feeling that description resonated while we conversed with those congregated in that church.

Marty Haugen's Gather Us In was the Processional Hymn. Yes, what we were singing was familiar. The context, however, of everyone there significantly highlighted additional meaning of every word of the song:

Here in this place new light is streaming
Now is the darkness vanished away
See in this space our fears and our dreamings
Brought here to you in the light of this day

The hue of that "new light" changed for me on Sunday. There were so many lines that resonated in different ways than they had before. See in this space our fears and our dreamings describes the apprehension that must be overcome at the advent of something new. What was new was perceptible in the air.

Pastor Mark Grarock delivering part of the word in his sermon spoken in Kiswahili was perfectly appropriate for the occasion. He said that he had helped Emillie with her Greek and she had helped him in his Swahili. 

Members of St. Mark had ties to Creator I wasn't aware of until last Sunday. One was a close friend of Pastor Ray's. Others many of us knew through our synod connections. The refreshments and entertaining afterwards were amazing. This was the first time I ate fried plantains and they were a treat. The dancing afterwards was spontaneous and the perfect mixer and closer as we left and traveled back to Portland.    

Now Creator waits for July with a quiet anticipation.