Rethinking Vacation Bible School: Faith Formation Beyond the Traditional Model
Vacation Bible school has long been a summer tradition in United Methodist churches, bringing children together for Bible stories, music, crafts, g…
Posted: October 3 2021 at 12:16 PM
East Ohio Conference Bishop Tracy S. Malone reads the historic questions to the candidates for deacon and elder at the 2021 Ordination and Commissioning Service. Bishop Malone returned home to the Northern Illinois Conference where she herself was ordained and served as a pastor and District Superintendent.
It was a joyous celebration filled with thanksgiving at the 2021 Ordination and Commissioning service held the evening of October 1 in the sanctuary at Barrington United Methodist Church.
“This is a moment that those who are being commissioned and ordained have been waiting for and working toward for years,” said East Ohio Conference Bishop Tracy S. Malone. “For every risk that you have taken to follow your ‘yes’ to God’s will for your life and ministry, thank you, Lord!”
It was a welcome home for Bishop Malone who was ordained and served in the Northern Illinois Conference and returned as the guest preacher for the service to celebrate those fulfilling their call to ministry.
“The Northern Illinois Conference will always hold a special place in my heart for this is the place where both my faith and leadership were nurtured," she added.
Bishop John L. Hopkins officiated the service commissioning one person for the work of a deacon and two for the work of an elder. He ordained three deacons and four elders.
While in-person attendance was limited because of continued COVID-19 health risks, the candidates were surrounded in love by close family, friends, and mentors, and many, including family as far away as South Korea, shared in their celebration by viewing the livestream.
In her sermon titled, “Shepherding with Power, Promise and Purpose,” Bishop Malone encouraged the candidates to “live, proclaim, love and serve with courageous conviction.”
“There are three convictions in Paul’s prayer for Timothy that I commend to you: Keep alive the gift, Be bold in your witness, and Keep at work,” Bishop Malone preached. “It matters how we live, love, relate, and show up in the world and in people’s lives. I am convinced that as followers of Christ, we are the instrument for God’s hope and plan of salvation for the world.”
To view the service, watch on the Conference Vimeo channel here.
2021 Class
Commissioned Provisional Deacon
Tura Jovan Foster Gillespie
Commissioned Provisional Elders
Elizabeth M. Rutherford
JiEun Mori Siegel
Ordained Deacons
Elizabeth Lauren Evans
Christine Voreis Hides
Grant Tyler Swanson
Ordained Elders
Hope Mary Chernich
Juyeon Jeon
Violet Jean Johnicker
Sun-Ah KangThese
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