Pastor’s Pen | August 2023
“You are cordially invited.” Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie preached to a room of nearly 400 ELCA deacons and pastors at the opening worship service of the Rostered Ministers Gathering (RMG) hosted at the Phoenix Convention Center in mid-July.
Bishop McKenzie serves as the 117th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and in her sermon on the call of the Prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6) and the temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness (Luke 4), she likened the call to serve God in the church and world as a “cordial invitation.”
Susan Brahs and I volunteered at the RMG and heard Bishop McKenzie preach this invitation: “ You are cordially invited...And you will be tired. You will be weary. You will be exhausted. You will be humbled. You will be awed. You will be honored. You will be given all you need and lifted up in service to God.” Bishop McKenzie was clear in naming the tension within the invitation to serve God’s world: it is hard and holy work. As I listened, it occurred to me that while Bishop McKenzie was speaking to a room full of people who have been called to specific roles in this church, her words were for the whole people of God.
Because this "cordial invitation" does not solely rest upon deacons and pastors, but the call to serve in God’s world is a call that rests upon all the baptized ones. Equipped with Spirit-gifts, we get called into a world to proclaim the love of God in Christ Jesus. We are all “cordially invited” by virtue of our baptismal identities.
I found this to be good news. Especially, in our context at New Journey Lutheran Church where we are uniquely challenged to consider and arrange the division of shared work among the congregation and part time staff. In our context, the laity (read: you) are asked to consider your gifts and use them for service in this community of faith, because I am part-time pastor. Susan is a part-time Communication Coordinator. Jamie is a part-time Worship Accompanist. And as I consider our community, I am awed by how you are responding to the invitation to serve. Whether you are serving on a ministry team, on the council, in worship, packing lunches, making regular financial gifts, shopping for school supplies, connecting with members who are grieving, tying knots in quilts or signing letters in support of legislation that feeds people, God is at work in and through you. You are making an impact in the kingdom of God now.
This is good news, indeed. You are cordially invited. YOU, with all your gifts and skills and abilities are invited to join God and participate in the kingdom. Thank you for the ways you are responding to God's invitation.
In holy awe of God at work in you,
Pastor Beth
Photos from the Rostered Ministers Gathering
Rostered Minister's Gathering Opening Worship
