 this service of hand commissioning. We welcome all of you. I'm Clayton Oliphant, pastor here at First United Methodist Church Richardson. We want to welcome all of you to this service, especially the family member and friends of those who are being ordained in commission tonight. What a special night for your loved ones tonight and for this conference as we welcome these new ordinands and those being commissioned into our as the North Texas Conference. What a special night it is indeed. We even have a pretty good choir lined up for you tonight. This is a special day. Some people cry at weddings, I cry at ordinations. It's a very special, sacred night and we're glad that you're here. We know that God is here. This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in. The Holy Spirit is among us, eternal God by Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. You gave to your apostles and all your church many excellent gifts. Come upon us gathered here to set apart those who will lead among us by calling and equipping us to fulfill your desire that we do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with you. We pray and you may be seated. Sisters and brothers in Christ we are all made one with the death of Jesus Christ and raised with him to walk in newness of life and the gift of baptism by water and the spirit. The same spirit enlivens us, empowers us with many and diverse gifts to serve as new creatures renouncing evil, embracing and submitting to Jesus Christ his Lord and Savior and joining together as his body to serve as his representatives in the world. We all start here. The spirit leads us. Remember, you're baptized and be thankful. You may be seated. You already are. Who presents these candidates to be ordained, commissioned or recognized? prayers and support. We present Rachel Griffin Bachman, Richard Stephen Davis, Jonathan Lee Grace, Donald Keith Heywood, Amy Diane Spore, Pamela Elaine White, Alex J Williams for ordination as elder. We present them with our prayers and support. We present Philip Thomas Dickey, Maria Dixon Hall, Benjamin Anderson David Hensley for ordination as deacon. We present them with our prayers and support. We present these persons for commissioning as provisional members. We present them with our prayers and our support. Roy Garrett Atwood, George Leroy Battle III, Charles William Church, James Michael Decker, Richard Thomas Harrison, the fourth, Allison Grace Jean, Stephen Eric Lohoffer, Christopher Ross O'Reilly, David Ali Rangel, John Christopher Rickwartz, Courtney Rose Schultz, Taylor Garrett Smith, Virginia Kay Ash, Michael William Flynn, Tamara Lynn Galloway, Margaret Kay Jenkins, Pavel Chris Jenkins, Evan Marshall Jones, Cathy Thompson Nations, Allison Hayes Shulman, Kathy Renee Sweeney, Emma Elizabeth Cook Williams. We also present this person for recognition of orders in the United Methodist Church, Martha Patricia Valencia, and this person for recognition as an associate member, Peter Hire McNabb. We present them with our prayers and support. We rejoice in the Spirit's work and our lives and the lives of these who have come to serve and to lead among us. We will uphold them with our prayers and support. Thanks be to God. My sisters and brothers in Christ as commissioned or ordained ministers and associate members. You are to be co-workers with bishops, elders, deacons, local pastors, provisional members, diagonal ministers, deaconesses, home missioners, supply pastors, and all the people of God. You are called to serve rather than to be served, to proclaim the faith of the church and no other, to look after the concerns of God's kingdom above all so we may know that you believe yourselves to be called by God and that you profess the Christian faith. We ask you, do you believe that God has called you to the life and work of set-apart ministry? Do you believe in the triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? Are you persuaded that the scriptures of the Old and the New Testaments contain all things necessary for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ and are the unique and authoritative standard for the church's faith in life? Will you be faithful in prayer in the study of the Holy Scriptures and with the help of the Holy Spirit continually retend the gift of God that is in you? Will you do your best to pattern your life in accordance with the teachings of Christ? Will you in the exercise of your ministry lead the people of God to faith in Jesus Christ, participate in the life and work of the community, and seek peace, justice, and freedom for all peoples? Will you be faithful to the United Methodist Church accepting and upholding its order, liturgy, doctrine, and discipline, defending them against all doctrines contrary to God's Holy Word, and committing yourself to be accountable with those serving with you, and to the bishop and those who are appointed to supervise your ministry? Will you, for the sake of the church's life and mission, covenant to participate in the life of the order, fellowship, or membership into which you are ordained, commissioned, received, or recognized? Will you give yourself to God through the order, fellowship, or membership in order to sustain and build each other up in prayer, study, worship, and service under the rule of life set forth in the boughs you take this day? May God, who has given you the will to do these things, give you the grace to perform them, and the work begun in you may be brought to perfection. Will those who are being commissioned come forward, please? Covenant of Baptism, all members of Christ's Holy Church pledge to serve as Christ's representatives in the world, and Christ gave to us all this command. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send labors into his harvest, and we have asked and the Lord has answered. These sisters and brothers know our Savior's concern for all God's people and see the plentiful harvest, and are ready to respond generously to the Lord in the words of the Prophet. Here I am, send me, urged on by the love of Christ and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, they now come to declare in public their desire to live out the covenant made at their baptism by binding themselves to the service of God under the supervision of the bishop and the guidance of colleagues in full connection, and by being appointed to share as servant leaders in the body of Christ. And today we commission them to service as they continue to prepare for ordained ministry among us. I invite the candidates to kneel. God of the apostles and the prophets of the martyrs and teachers, you raise up men and women to be apostolic leaders in your church. By your Holy Spirit help these your servants to understand and live the mystery of your love with boldness and joy. Deep in their sense of purpose as they exercise commission ministry, empower them and those who will work with them to guide their ministry together with all of your people to heal the sick, love the outcast, resist evil, preach the word, and give themselves freely for your names sake. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Roy Garrett Atwood. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit on George Leroy Battle III. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon Christopher William Church. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon James Michael Decker. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Richard Thomas Harrison IV. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Allison Grace Jean. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon Stephen Eric Lohoffer. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit on Christopher Ross O'Reilly. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon David L. Rangel. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon John Christopher Rickwarz. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Courtney Rose Schulz. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon Taylor Garrett Smith. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Virginia K. Ashe. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Michael William Flynn. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Send out your Holy Spirit upon Tamara Lynn Galloway. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Margaret K. Jenkins. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Pavel Chris Jenkins. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Evan Marshall Jones. Send him now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ and to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Kathy Thompson Nations. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ to announce the reign of God and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of of the Holy Spirit, amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Allison Hayes Schumann. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to announce the reign of God, and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Kathy Renee Sweeney. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to announce the reign of God, and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, amen. Pour out your Holy Spirit upon Emma Cook Williams. Send her now to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to announce the reign of God, and to equip the church for ministry. In the name of the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, amen. George and Roy, would you all move this way so you're not in the corner there? Move the way in the room, and would you all turn and face the congregation? These are the newly commissioned elders and deacons in the North Texas Conference. This is a large class, and these are wonderful, brilliant, effective clergy. God bless them. Will you greet them and congratulate them? Through 16, lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one spirit, just as you were called into the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God, and Father of all, who is above all. But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ's gift. Therefore it is said, when he ascended on high, he made captivity itself a captive. He gave gifts to his people. When it says he ascended, what does it mean, but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens so that he might fill all things. The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for the building up of the body of Christ until all of us come to the unity of the faith and the knowledge of the Son of God to maturity, to the measure of full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people's trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ for whom the whole body is joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped as each part is working properly, promotes the body's growth into the building itself up into love. This is the word of God for the people of God. Thanks be to God. And I think, and many respects the most, I'm glad that you've chosen to be witnesses to these, those whom you who've been called out from your midst. Well, Lord, in the silence of this moment, prepare our hearts and minds to hear your word for us. So this is the fifth time that I've had the privilege of commissioning and ordaining persons for ministry in the United Methodist Church. And I must tell you that each time, one of the things that begins to flow through my mind and go deeply into my soul and my heart is a memory of my own commissioning and ordination. In those days, there were two orders in which you were ordained a deacon and then you were ordained an elder. Jonah and I had only been married less than two weeks when I was ordained a deacon at the First United Methodist Church in Fort Worth in 1975. I need to tell you that I was more excited about getting married than ordained a deacon. I do want you to know that. We spent a week in San Francisco and Carmel and we had a great time on the honeymoon and we came back and went to work. And then I remember a woman who had a very important place in terms of my own formation whom I dearly, dearly cared about and she cared about me. And I remember one of the things she did is she picked up my left hand and looked at my wedding ring and she said, it's still shining. It's so new. With any kind of relationship you have, sometimes the shiny wears off, but what you hope is it's always new. That it's always new. And so for those who are being commissioned and ordained this evening, I want to invite you to remember everything you can about this moment. Because I think the power of memory has the way to sustain us during life's difficult challenges. So I've already let you in on a little secret. Ministry can be difficult because I want you to know, if you've not been told, there are difficult people and you will be their pastor. But I don't want you to know about difficult people and the fact that you will be their pastor is, you are the very presence and the very person they need in their lives. You are the very person God has called and has set apart or the church has set apart to be a presence and a witness in their lives. Every church has them. And what I want to say to the gathered church today is I hope we're not ordaining and I'm appointing difficult people to you. Can I get an amen? But I want to tell you, they will not always be at their best. I'm not always at my best and you are not always at your best. And we have to remember that. And I hope that in terms of our relationship at what it means to be the body of Christ that we live with a kind of tension while we may be unhappy about something that's going on. It's the craziest things that happen in churches about people and how they're unhappy about things and I'm talking about clergy and laity. And I can remember Philip Rhodes last night preaching saying, one time to meet Mike, this is just not that important. So many things that begin to well up inside us are just not that important. But there are those things that are. I would invite you every week of your ministry to read this fourth chapter of Paul's letter to the church at Ephesus. He claims he's a prisoner for Christ and so are you now. When you really think about what we do when we get set apart for ministry we really find ourselves bound to our God in a unique way and because what we do is we represent our God in a very different way than we once did. Now what I want to say to you, that doesn't make you more special, more holy or right all the time. But it means that you've been set apart for ministry in a very, very significant way. And that is as the God has called you and the church has nurtured you and loved you and formed you. And it doesn't make you special but it makes you set apart for ministry. What I like about this passage is that it begins to recall with the use of the word one seven or eight times, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one hope. We began the morning as you remember remembering our baptism. You know, if I could issue a bishop edict, Laethi, I need to tell you I can't. But if I were to issue one, one of the ones I would issue is that every year on the Sunday of the baptism of our Lord every congregation in the North Texas Conference would have a service of baptism and renewal. And you know why? Because all of us need to be reminded at least once a year to whom we belong. And that really when we come out of the waters of our baptism, it doesn't matter if you're sprinkled or it's poured or if you actually were immersed, you still are raised from death to life. And it's what reforms you and it's what forms you and it's what you should carry the memory of that first you belong to God. And that's the first thing. But it also means that out of that baptism there comes hope. And if there's anything that our world needs now it is people who begin to live not always in judgment and not always with cynicism and not always in opposition and not always thinking about themselves rather than the self sacrifice that Reverend Rhodes talked about. It is living with the hope that comes from a faith in Jesus the Christ. If we could do nothing else we are left here tonight and vowed with each other but most importantly vowed with our God that we would be a people of hope because of the baptism and the faith that we share. There'd be a tremendous difference, mate because it's not necessarily pretty out there right now. It's a troubled world in which we live but we are people of faith. There's something else in the text that I think is really important especially for the church at this time. And I would say this about any church. We're no different, you know I'm at the church it's no different from several other churches in terms of its own tensions that it has about any number of things. Let's face it that has been going on since the formation of the church. There's always been tension about the life of the communities of faith. And the reason there have always been tensions and possibilities for fracture and sometimes they came true and the reasons why people get angry about things is because frankly we forget about the most important things. And to be honest we'd rather have conversations about the things we disagree with and the things that make us angry and the things that we just go what? Then we would be having the most difficult conversation that we need to have. And the most difficult conversation the church needs to have and we want your health with is this. How do we witness in this secular age? How do we begin to confate the grace of this Jesus Christ in a world who feels as if and that world is very close to this place tonight too and in every community in which you come in a community in a world that thinks they have no need of any kind of relationship with a one whose baptism we celebrated by remembering our own. So I call it unity and that's what the apostle Paul calls it. I think the unity comes out of the acknowledgement of the gifts we all share. Do you hear how the gifts were mentioned? Apostles, prophets, teachers. Those were significant gifts in the early church and we might talk about gifts in different ways and we began to make queries of people about their gifts for ministry. But what I want to say to you is that these gifts are important and they're God-given gifts and since that God gives them I'm a great believer in gifts. By the way, that's not asking for anything tonight. I want you to know that. But I'm a great believer in gifts because I think one of the things we have to learn not only to give but I think we have to learn how to receive. And somehow God has gifted each one of you and graced you and this is a way of saying yes but live into those gifts because each of you has a different set, subset of the gifts and all of your gifts are needed. I know that none of you would actually live or believe or serve with the belief and understanding that you have all of the gifts needed and that's why it's important to be a part of a community of faith. I can remember a time in my own life as a clergy person and one of my colleagues from Central Texas is here tonight as well. It was the day in which we had monthly what they called preachers meetings. I got to the point in my life that I didn't want to go because I had no mail to me. I mean I had a graduate theological education I knew how to read and then I quit going and I always had something else that had come up and I didn't go and so the North Texas Conference has saved you from all of that. You don't have to do that monthly but there are those appointed times where you have to do it and I hope you have to do it for something but because you can give of yourself and what I learned is how arrogant of me to believe that I could be disconnected from my colleagues in ministry. One is to think that I didn't need them but to begin to deny God's own gifts in me that might need to be shared that day with someone who is in the place that really needed it. I noticed that the apostle Paul talks about ligaments and the clothes of the passage that was read today and we know that ligaments bind bones together and if someone tears a ligament then they've got a problem. They have a problem either with their knee or their shoulder or their hip and just the functioning of the body it doesn't come to a stop but it is greatly impaired. I want you to think about what it means to be intimate with each other and somehow that really when Paul talks about the body and the ligament he's talking about what it means to be a part of the church about how we're all tied together. There are some of you who disagree with each other. There might be some of you who really don't like each other but guess what? God gave us each other. God gave us each other in such a way that what we do is realize that my knee has no understanding what my shoulder does. I don't think, I don't know, I'm not. I just sort of made that up because I thought it sounded good. Somebody will come out in a few moments who's a doctor and said, let me explain that to you Bishop don't waste your time, it won't work. I mean I just won't understand it but I do understand the body of Christ and I do understand that frankly when one is missing and happens in other places in the epistles then we're not complete and so we're all tied together which means that for us to be in unity means we recognize each other's gifts and each other's opinions and each other's ways of looking at ministry and each other's ways of doing ministry and we begin to celebrate rather than thinking about how we might want to sort of separate and solve through some of those ligaments. I think you know what I'm talking about and no one, no body is really put together well without all parts of the body. So this night, remember your baptism say yes to your gifts and claim them but do it with humility and know that we are tied together just by the very grace of our God and that's the way in which the body becomes strong and God's dream for you is not necessarily that you be successful but that you be effective and faithful that you not only be effective and faithful but you understand that there are others who the body needs for the body to be effective and faithful and that we live among each other and in the people we serve with the people we serve in such a way that truly honors the very Christ's ecology. In the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and all God's people said I am honored to give the Operatory Prayer on behalf of Zip Code Connection a ministry within our conference and connection. Will you pray with me? O Lord, giver of life and the source of all our gifts we know that all we have received that is good and wondrous is from your hand and you call us to be stewards of your abundance the caretaker of all you have entrusted to us just as you fed 5,000 from the gifts of a young boy we pray that you will transform our gifts to the spiritual and physical nourishment of those who are hungry and giving them the abundance so that we may even meet the needs of those who are not even aware of their hunger for you. May the hearts of all those who pray for the work that we as a connection do in ministry with Zip Code Connection be united in a greater community of God's love and grace a beloved community for we need God's love to share God's love in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen. I profess the faith as found in the scriptures of the Old and New Testament. Do you believe in God? I believe in God the Father Almighty maker of heaven and earth. Do you believe in Jesus Christ? I believe in Jesus Christ God's only Son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary entered under Pontius Pilate was crucified, died and was buried he descended to the dead on the third day he rose again he ascended into heaven is seated at the right hand of the Father and will come again to judge the living and the dead. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? I believe in the Holy Spirit the Holy Catholic Church the communion of saints the forgiveness of sins the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. After due examination of your call in ministry and another part of Christ's Holy Church we now welcome you to the communion. You have given assurance of your faith and Christian experience. You have renewed the bowels of your ordination embraced our own committing yourself to accept and uphold faithfully the doctrine, liturgy and discipline of the United Methodist Church. We rejoice that you have been called to serve among us and pray that God may guide your ministry. Martha, Patricia, Valencia we now recognize you as a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church. We turn so that you may be greeted by the congregation. You have served among us faithfully as a local pastor demonstrating your commitment to accept and uphold the doctrine, liturgy and discipline of the United Methodist Church under the appointment of the bishop. You have now fulfilled the requirements and been elected by the clergy session of this annual conference as an associate member. We rejoice that you have been called to serve among us and pray that God may guide your ministry. Peter, Hire, McNabb we now recognize you as an associate member in the North Texas Annual Conference. Will you turn and face the congregation so that we may greet you? With me is Bishop Max Whitfield who resides in our annual conference and is the Bishop and Residence at Perkins School of Theology. So Max, I'm glad that you're with us this evening. Bishop Whitfield, we're glad. A deacon is called to share in Christ's ministry of servanthood to relate the life of the community to its service in the world to lead others into Christian discipleship and to nurture disciples for witness and service to lead and worship to teach and proclaim God's word to assist elders and appointed local pastors at Holy Baptism and Holy Communion to interpret the church to the world's hurts and hopes to serve all people, particularly the poor the sick and the oppressed and to lead Christ's people in ministries of compassion and justice liberation and reconciliation especially in the phase of hardship and personal sacrifice. This is the rule of life and work of a deacon and do you believe that God has called you to the life and work of a deacon? As these persons are ordained by God in the church for the ministry of deacons to which we believe they've been called by the Holy Spirit, let us pray for them. We thank you, Living God, that in your great love you sent Jesus Christ to take the form of a servant becoming obedient even to death on the cross. And now resurrected and exalted in the heavens you have taught us by his word and example that whoever would be great among us must be servant of all. Give these servants grace to be faithful to their promises constant in their discipleship and always ready for the works of loving service and make them modest and humble, gentle and strong rooted and grounded in love and give them a share in the ministry of Jesus Christ who came not to serve to be served but to serve. Almighty God pour upon Philip Thomas Deakey the Holy Spirit for the office and the work of deacon in Christ's Holy Church. Amen. Philip take authority as a deacon to proclaim the word of God and to lead God's people and ministries of compassion and justice in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon her the Holy Spirit for the office and the work of a deacon in Christ's Holy Church. Amen. Maria take authority as a deacon to proclaim the word of God and to lead God's people in ministries of compassion and justice in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. I present to you the deacons of the United Methodist Church in the North Texas Conference. Will you welcome and greet them. An elder is called to the ministry of Christ and of the whole church. Preach and teach the word of God and faithfully administer the sight of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I present to you the deacons of the United Methodist Church in the North Texas Conference. Will you welcome and greet them. And faithfully administer the sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion. And to lead the people of God in worship and prayer. And to lead persons of faith in Jesus Christ to exercise pastoral supervision to order the life of the congregation and the connection to counsel the trouble and declare the forgiveness of sin. To lead the people of God in obedience to Christ's mission in the world to seek justice, peace and freedom for all people and to take a responsible place in the government of the church and in service in and to the community. This is the rule of the life and work of an elder. Do you believe that God has called you to this life and work of an elder? As these persons are ordained or recognized by the church for the office and work of elders to which we believe they have been called by the Holy Spirit, let us pray for them. Lord God, because you have called us to be a priestly people offering to you acceptable worship through Jesus Christ our Lord, apostle and high priest, shepherd and bishop of our souls. We thank you that by dying Christ has overcome death and having ascended into heaven has poured forth gifts abundantly on your people. Making some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and some teachers saints for the work of ministry to build up the Christ body and to fulfill your gracious purpose in the world. Give to these your servants the grace and power they need to serve you in this ministry and make them faithful pastors, patient teachers and wise counselors. Enable them to serve without reproach, to proclaim the gospel of salvation, to administer the sacraments of the new covenant and to offer with all your people the sacrifice acceptable to you. Through Jesus Christ our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit one God now and forever. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Rachel Griffin Bachman the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Rachel 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 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Richard Steven Davis the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Richard Steven Davis 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 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Jonathan Lee Grace the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Jonathan 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 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Donald Keith Haywood Almighty God pour upon Donald the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Amen. Donnie 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 the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Amy Diane Spore the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Amy 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 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Pamela Elaine White the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Pamela 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 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Almighty God pour upon Alex J. Williams the Holy Spirit for the office and work of an elder in Christ Holy Church. Amen. Alex 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 the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. Return and face the congregation. Will you greet the new elders in the North Texas Conference? That is what we celebrate in the presence of God's people and to know that the call upon all of our lives is to continue to draw the circle so very wide so that the stranger you meet may meet in you a generous friend for God introduced to someone whom we do not know so that we may introduce them to the God who knows them and loves them. We thank you gracious God for raising up faithful servants to clothe them with your righteousness and grant that we with them may glorify you by giving ourselves to others. Amen. The postlude you're invited to reception to honor those and that will be in the Bartula Family Life Center and as you leave the sanctuary there are persons who can direct and guide you there. I hope that you'll go and celebrate with our new Ordnance and Commission members of the Annual Conference and may the work of the Spirit continue to guide us in all of our ministry. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and God's peace be with you for this night and all others. Amen.