As I said – January was a pretty big month.
During NCYC I was ordained as a Minister of the Word in the Uniting Church in Australia. It was an amazing experience, at times a little surreal, but when it came to the actual ordination and the laying on of hands there was the invitation for all those at the service to reach out their hands towards me. With something over 1300 people doing this, it was the most powerful experience of the presence of the Holy Spirit that I have ever felt. Whenever I think of it, or talk about it, I still get goose bumps!
A great mate, mentor and advisor preached that night, and outdid himself, as usual. Rev Al Macrae was my faculty advisor during the last 2 years of my time at Theological College and is currently the Executive Director of the Centre for Theology and Ministry and is President-elect of the Uniting Church. It was very special to have him preach. It was also great to be surrounded by family, friends, congregational members and NCYC in total. My ordination was the first to be done at an NCYC, and I had a number of conversations with people, both young and slightly older, about the call of God on their lives.
A night that I will never forget!
Here are a couple of photos of the event.
Ordination prayer
Laying on of hands
