Pre-Annointment, Ministerial Presentation. (Speech for Ministerial Candidates, prior to their being anointed).
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(KATHY):
TO BE A MINISTER IS, TO BE AN ATTENDANT TO, A HELPER.
AN ASSISTANT TO OTHERS.
EVERY PERSON IN THIS ROOM, HAS HELPED FAMILY MEMBERS, EACH OF YOU HAS ASSISTED YOUR FRIENDS.
THUS, EACH OF YOU, ALSO, IN THE WIDER SENSE OF THE WORD, IS ALSO A MINISTER.
ALTHOUGH OUR FOCUS TODAY, IS ON THESE FOUR CANDIDATES FOR ORDINATION, WHO ARE ABOUT TO BE SACREDLY ANOINTED AS PATHWAYS OF LIGHT MINISTERS, ALL OF OUR COMMENTS HERE TODAY, ARE ALSO ADDRESSED TO EACH OF YOU.
WE DO THIS IN APPRECIATION FOR, AND IN RECOGNITION OF, YOUR LIFETIME OF SERVICE TO OTHERS.
IT IS FURTHER FITTING, THAT EACH OF YOU HERE TODAY, BE AWARE OF YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE LIVES OF THESE FOUR CANDIDATES, WHO ARE ABOUT TO BE ORDAINED.
YOUR LIFE'S EXPERIENCES WITH THEM, AS FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND PATHWAYS OF LIGHT FACILITATORS, HAVE MADE PROFOUND CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE CANDIDATES LIVES.
INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, THE FOUR OF YOU COINED A PHRASE DURING THE PAST WEEK OF YOUR TRAINING HERE, THAT SUMMARIZES HOW YOU SEE YOURSELF AND OTHERS.
YOUR THREE WORDS SAY IT ALL, "WE ARE FAMILY."
EACH OF US, IS TRULY, A PART OF THIS FAMILY, A PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM, THAT HAS LED TO THEIR ORDINATION HERE TODAY.
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CANDIDATES, YOUR ANOINTING TODAY IS A SACRED ACT, SYMBOLIZING YOUR DEVOTION
TO GOD, BY THE DEDICATION OF YOUR LIFE, TO SERVING AND ASSISTING, OTHER PEOPLE.
ALL IN THIS ROOM ARE WITNESSES, OF YOUR VOW TODAY, OF ACCEPTING THIS HOLY OFFICE, TO SERVE THE DIVINE, THROUGH ASSISTANCE TO, YOUR FELLOW HUMAN BEINGS.
EACH OF YOU CANDIDATES, EXEMPLIFIES THE PATHWAYS GOAL OF, "HELPLING PEOPLE ACCESS INNER WISDOM".
AND, YOU FOUR , IN ASSISTING EACH OTHER, AND OTHERS, TO ACCESS INNER WISDOM, HAVE ALSO ACHIEVED INNER WISDOM FOR YOURSELF. REV. CERISE SMITH,
YOUR TRUST IS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS GOAL.
THUS, WE HAVE SELECTED AN ACIM QUOTE FOR YOU, THAT IS INHERENT IN ACCESSING INNER WISDOM. IT COMES FROM THE TEXT, PAGE 312. PLEASE REPEAT IT AFTER ME:
"UNDER HIS TEACHING EVERY RELATIONSHIP BECOMES A LESSON IN LOVE."
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CANDIDATES:
YOUR COMPLETION, OF THE PATHWAYS OF LIGHT CURRICULUM FOR ORDINATION, IS A PINNACLE OF ACHIEVEMENT.
IT IS A GIGANTIC, STEPPING STONE, TO GREATER SELF-AWARENESS, AND A REFLECTION OF YOUR LIFELONG COMMITMENT TO SERVE HUMANITY. THIS ORDINATION CEREMONY IS YOUR OFFICIAL APPOINTMENT, A PUBLICLY PROCLAIMING IN HOLY CEREMONY, OF YOUR LIFE'S DEVOTION, IN SERVICE TO OTHERS.
EACH OF YOU, HAS COMPLETED ALL THE INNER WORK NECESSARY, TO HAVE HOLY ORDERS CONFERRED UPON YOU.
YOUR AUTHORITY TO CONDUCT RELIGIOUS SERVICES COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND IS LEGALLY ENDORSED, THROUGH THE PATHWAYS OF LIGHT CHURCH.
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REV. GLADIES HAMILTON,
IN ACCEPTING HOLY SPIRIT'S HELP, YOU EXEMPLIFY THE ACCPTANCE OF THIS AUTHORITY.
YOUR QUOTE IS FROM THE TEXT, P. 71.
PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME:
"GOD IS PRAISED WHENEVER ANY MIND LEARNS TO BE WHOLLY HELPFUL."
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ALWAYS REMEMBER, THAT AS A MINISTER, YOU ARE AN ATTENDANT, ACTING AS GOD'S ASSISTANT.
YOU ARE HERE ONLY TO BE TRULY HELPFUL.
PLEASE JOIN IN SHARING THIS ACIM QUOTATION WITH ME, BY REPEATING EACH SENTENCE, AFTER I HAVE SAID IT:
"I AM HERE ONLY TO BE TRULY HELPFUL.
I AM HERE TO REPRESENT HIM WHO SENT ME.
I DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WHAT TO SAY OR WHAT TO DO BECAUSE HE WHO SENT ME WILL DIRECT ME.
I AM CONTENT TO BE WHEREVER HE WISHES, KNOWING HE GOES THERE WITH ME. I WILL BE HEALED AS I LET HIM TEACH ME TO HEAL." ACIM TEXT P. 28; T-2.V.18:2-6
(BOB):
AS A PATHWAYS OF LIGHT MINISTER, YOU COUNSEL PEOPLE TO ACCESS THEIR OWN INNER WISDOM.
HELPING OTHERS, FIND THEIR OWN ANSWERS, AS, EACH OF YOU, HAS ALREADY DONE.
THESE INNER ANSWERS ARE A GIFT FROM THE DIVINE, GIVING, TO THE OPEN AND WILLING, THEIR OWN PERFECT ANSWER.
THIS IS A POWERFUL LEARNING, AND, AS YOU HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED, IT IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE.
ALL IT TAKES, IS A LITTLE WILLINGNESS TO BE OPEN TO THE DIVINE, AND HOLY SPIRIT PROVIDES THE PERFECT ANSWER.
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REV. CATHY JO TOMILENKO,
YOU EXEMPLIFY THIS WILLINGNESS, IN YOUR ACCEPTING THE KNOWLEDGE, THAT INNER WISDOM IS ALWAYS THERE AND THAT IT IS ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE, YOUR QUOTE COMES FROM THE TEXT, P. 290:
PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME:
"WHERE GOD IS, THERE YOU ARE.
SUCH IS THE TRUTH."
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THIS IS ONE PATHWAY AMONG MANY.
LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER.
WE INVITE THE WITNESSES TO READ
THE POL FACILITATOR'S CREDO ALONG WITH THE CANDIDATES: "THIS IS ONE PATHWAY AMONG MANY.
IN ALL HUMILITY, I RECOGNIZE YOUR GREATNESS, THE DIVINE WISDOM WITHIN YOU.
AND BY HELPING YOU ACCESSS THAT PART WITHIN YOU, I AM FULFILLING MY ROLE AND HELPING ALL PARTS OF MYSELF AWAKEN.
I KNOW EACH PERSON'S HIGHER SELF KNOWS THE PERFECT WAY HOME FOR THEM.
I AM AT PEACE AS I PARTICIPATE IN THE PROCESS. LOVE IS ALWAYS THE ANSWER.
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(KATHY)
THIS PATH THAT YOU HAVE CHOSEN, TO BE A MINISTER, IS ONE THAT HAS EXISTED FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
YOU ARE NOW PART OF A SPIRITUAL TRADITION THAT GOES BACK TO THE BEGINNINGS OF HUMAN HISTORY.
WHEN GROUPS OF PEOPLE, TRIBES PERHAPS, SELECTED SOMEONE TO SERVE THEM.
A PERSON WAS CHOSEN, TO BE THEIR MINISTER. TO ASSIST THEM IN THEIR NEED, TO HELP THEM.
FREQUENTLY, THAT HELPER, THAT MINISTER, WAS CHOSEN, BECAUSE OF, THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PAIN, AND TRAUMA, THAT, THAT SELECTED ONE, HAD EXPERENCED, AND SURVIVED, IN HIS/HER OWN LIFE. THE FEELING IN THESE GROUPS OF EARLY HUMANS WAS THAT THOSE WHO HAD MADE A TRANSITION THROUGH THESE LIFE-SHAKING EXPERIENCES, THOSE SURVIVORS, WERE THE ONES BEST QUALIFIED TO HELP OTHERS, WHEN EXPERIENCING THEIR OWN CHALLENGES.
THINK OF YOUR LIFE, CANDIDATES.
DOESN'T THIS SOUND LIKE YOU?
SO, IN THE DAWNING OF HUMAN HISTORY, THOSE ANCIENT ONES, ALSO ACCEPTED A LIFE OF SERVICE,
AND BECAME THE HEALERS, THE MEDICINE-WOMEN, THE SHAMANS, THOSE WHO SERVED A HOLY OFFICE.
EACH OF YOU, IS NOW A PART OF THAT SPIRITUAL TRADITION, THAT GOES ALL THE WAY BACK, TO THE BEGINNINGS OF THE HUMAN RACE. (BOB)
HUMANIY HAS DONE MUCH THINKING AND MANY THOUGHT CHANGES HAVE OCCURRED, DURING THESE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS.
FINALLY, WE ARE BEGINNING TO LEARN, THAT ANYTHING WE THINK, IS ONLY A THOUGHT, AND THAT A THOUGHT CAN BE CHANGED. (SONG:"IT'S ONLY A THOUGHT, AND A THOUGHT CAN BE CHANGED.)" IN SUMMARY, THEN, O.M.C., ORDAINED MINISTERIAL COUNSELOR, MEANS THAT, YOU ARE A DIVINELY AND LEGALLY ESTABLISHED MINISTER, WITH AUTHORITY TO PERFORM NEEDED SERVICES TO OTHERS, UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF, THE DIVINE, HOLY SPIRIT.
YOUR ORDINATION AS A PATHWAYS OF LIGHT MINISTER, IS NOW LEGAL, IN ALL 50 STATES, IN OUR NATION.
EACH OF YOU IS ENTITLED TO USE THE WORD REVEREND, WHICH COMES FROM THE WORD REVERE, TO REGARD WITH RESPECT AND AFFECTION. YOUR REVERENCE, Y0UR DIVINELY INSPIRED AWE, IS A HEAVENLY BLESSING, THAT WILL PERMEATE ALL OF YOUR MINISTERIAL ACTS, AND MAKE THEM HOLY.
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REV. LLOYD BOWERS,
WITH YOUR RELAXED GENTLENESS, YOU EXEMPLIFY THIS REVERENCE. THUS, YOUR QUOTE, FROM THE TEXT P. 314 IS: PLEASE REPEAT AFTER ME:
"WITH LOVE IN YOU, YOU HAVE NO NEED, EXCEPT TO EXTEND IT." T, 314
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EACH OF YOU, EACH OF US, IS NOW HOME.
HOME IS NOT A HOUSE, OR EVEN A PLANET.
HOME IS THE AWESOME, INDESCRIBABLE, ETERNAL, WITHIN EACH OF US, WHEREVER WE ARE.
IT IS A FEELING OF MYSTERY, OF SACREDLY BELONGING, WITH EVERYONE, IN ALL PLACES.
ONCE YOU KNOW THIS, ONCE YOU HAVE FELT IT, YOU ARE NEVER, EVER, ALONE ANYMORE.
RATHER, YOU ARE TEARFULLY AWARE, THAT THE DIVINE, IS ALWAYS, IN RESIDENCE, WITHIN YOU.
CANDIDATES, EACH OF YOU, LIKE THE AMERICAN POET, ROBERT FROST, CAME TO A FORK IN THE
ROAD, WHERE EACH OF YOU MADE A CHOICE.
AND THAT GREAT AMERICAN POET, MR. FROST, SPOKE FOR EACH OF THE FOUR OF YOU,
WHEN HE CLOSED HIS WORLD FAMOUS POEM, BY SAYING: "AND I, I TOOK THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED BY, AND THAT, HAS MADE ALL THE DIFFERENCE." IN CLOSING, WE ARE GOING TO ASK ALL THE WINTESSES IN THIS ROOM TO BLESS EACH OF THESE FOUR ABOUT TO BE ANOINTED CANDIDATES, BY REPEATING, THE ACIM QUOTE SELECTED FOR EACH ONE.
WOULD THE CANDIDATES PLEASE COME TO THE FRONT AND FACE THE CONGREGATION TO HEAR THIS BLESSING?
(AFTER THE FOUR WITNESS BLESSINGS): AND NOW WE INVITE A PREVIOUSLY ANOINTED MINISTER TO FACE ONE OF THESE FOUR FOR THE ANOINTING CEREMONY.
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(Revs. Bob and Kathy Thompson)
Saturday, August 6, 2005