Weekly Devotion for May 29, 2023

No one can say ‘Jesus is Lord’ except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. “All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses. For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--Jews or Greeks, slaves or free--and we were all made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3b-13).

It was my great joy to share in the Ordinands Retreat recently. It is our tradition for the resident bishop to spend time with those being ordained elders and those transferring into our annual conference. This is part of what is classified as “examining” those to be ordained.

As we gathered at Pine Lake Campground, one is greeted by birds singing, the stillness of the lake, and the beauty of the woods. This is a holy time encompassing the sharing of worship, our call stories and what it means to serve in the Wisconsin Annual Conference.

We have such a diverse group of people with an even more diverse set of gifts. Our clergy are coming to serve as teachers, preachers, storytellers, healers, evangelists, church planters, missionaries, musicians, innovators, entrepreneurs, listeners, and pastoral care givers. Further, we have a great variety of ways in which to serve: the local congregation, church planter, missionary, youth pastor, and clinician. We are a blessed people!

In further reflection upon my retreat time and 1 Corinthians 12:3b – 13, I am amazed by how the Holy Spirit has moved in our communal and individual lives, calling us, equipping us, and inviting us to a journey of discovery. We are all called to serve and gifted to serve.

In celebration of these new clergy and Pentecost (which begins May 28), I offer this prayer:

Jesus, our precious Lord, we give you thanks for the Holy Spirit that has come to us. We celebrate your call in our lives to serve with grateful and obedient hearts. We praise you for inspiring us to say yes – using our gifts to teach, preach, lead, plant, grow, and care for Your beloved. We ask for the continued pouring out of Your Spirit upon us. Make us faithful. Give us vision. Help us to hear. Let us be one in You. Amen.