Chicago Update II: July 28, 2009 (Luke)

We stepped off the plane in Phoenix and a blast of hot air greeted us like a furnace. (That was okay, though, because we quickly headed down to Tucson where the temperature was more like a hair dryer.) In total we were in Arizona for 48 hours, several of which were spent driving to Tucson, to Casa Grande, to Tucson, then back to Phoenix. All 8 hours of driving were worth it, however, once we arrived back to Chicago early Monday morning. I write to you (almost recovered from the whirlwind tour) from Chicago, where Andrea and I will be for one more night.

I’m glad to report that Presbytery de Cristo officially approved my call to ordained ministry on Saturday at their quarterly meeting! This means I can finally forgo the phrase, “I hope to be an ordained pastor someday,” which I’ve used for the last couple years when asked if I will be a pastor. I can replace it with, “I’m gonna be an ordained pastor!”

Presbytery de Cristo will ordain me to the ELCA ministry in which I currently serve in Mexico. Basically, I’ll continue to serve in Mexico at the ELCA Immersion Program in the same capacity, but now I can include a “Rev.” before signing my names on correspondences. I must say I’m proud of, and appreciate, both the ELCA and PC USA) for their willingness to work in partnership together on this endeavor.

Many people have asked, “So, when’s the ordination service?” I didn’t want to put the cart before the horse, so I hadn’t set a date for the service before the meeting on Saturday. I hope it will happen in the next three to four months, depending on a variety of variables…I understand ordination services to be similar to weddings. That is, one sets the date around the people you need and want to be present, which takes some coordination. I do not, however, expect to set a date a year or two down the road as in some weddings. As soon as there is a date set, I’ll let you know.

Finally, I would like to extend a word of thanks to all those who made the trip to Casa Grande and attended the meeting. Your presence was a valuable gift. To all of you who were thinking about me and praying for me Saturday morning, thank you!

By God’s Grace,

Luke