Another Annual Conference is in the books! But not just any Annual Conference! It was the 186th session of the Northern Illinois Conference. Many joys and celebrations and still other moments of sadness, especially during the Memorial Service. And to see so many friends that get missed during the course of the year. Oh what joy in serving! 

As I think back, especially to this year’s Celebration of Ministry service, I was reminded of my own journey through that process. About 42 years ago, I was ordained as a deacon and elected as a probationary member. (This was the first step in the ordination process during that time.) Two years later, in 1985, I was ordained as an elder with full rights and privileges. The bishop put his hands on my head and told me to “take authority as an elder to preach the Word of God, to administer the Holy Sacraments and to order the life of the Church; in the name of our Triune God.”  

Rev. Anderson (center) with Rev. P. Devon Brown and Rev. Marcus Tabb.

My journey has been filled with trying to do my best at upholding that pronouncement! Some days I felt like I had not preached a good sermon or I forgot the words to the communion or baptism liturgy or maybe could have made different choices at ordering the life of the church. But, by God’s grace, I got the opportunity to try again.

God’s grace reminds us of our humanity and should be the guiding force behind how we treat others. We have been extended God’s love and forgiveness and should spend time extending it to others. Our current reality does not agree. We see atrocities every day that tell us that other people are not important, do not need to be respected, cared for or cared about. But the same God who extends grace to us reminds us to extend grace to others. In our daily walk, we must remember that grace has and will always be sufficient for us. We must find ways to share that message with others. How can you find more moments to extend grace in your everyday life?