Bob Tate sponsored me for ordination out of St. Martin in the Fields, Chestnut Hill, PA and he preached this challenging and incisive sermon at my ordination to the (transitional) diaconate.~ The Rev. Peter M. Carey
Diocese of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia Cathedral, Saturday, June 9, 2007
A Sermon Preached at the Diaconate Ordination Service
A sermon preached by the Rev. Robert L. Tate, Rector, Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Philadelphia, on Saturday, June 9, 2007 on the occasion of the Diaconate Ordination Service at the Philadelphia Cathedral.
I.
Last week I picked up my teenage son from his AP US History exam. Now any parent can tell you that some of the most important conversations happen in the enclosed environment of the automobile. “So, Andy, how did your exam go?” “Ungh ” “How do you think you did?” “Uh-uh-ungh.” See what I mean? Quality conversation.
I kept pressing. “So what do you think was the most important thing you learned this year in AP US History?” Long silence. Then. “OK Dad. We learned that your generation has completely ruined this country for our generation. Social Security. Health Care. Public Education. The tax system. Our cities. Our reputation in the world. The environment. You want me to go on?”
I didn’t know quite what to say, so I just kept driving. Because I know in my heart he is right.
I have spent the last three days leading the pre-ordination retreat with our seven ordinands at the Diocesan Conference Center at Wapiti. In several of our sessions I heard their comments about the current state of the church. “The parish church model is bankrupt. For 400 years we have basically perpetuated an anachronistic 18th century English agrarian model of living the Christian life that no longer works. Our aging buildings are killing our parishes and stifling ministry. Many, maybe even a majority, of our parishes seem to be expending all their energies and resources simply trying to meet the ever-rising costs of everything and trying to survive. That is not why Jesus Christ lived and died for us. That is not ministry.”
And they did go on. “We haven’t even begun to realize the vision of the ministry of the baptized embodied in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer. Clericalism is still a cancer in the church. And the leadership of the church, not to mention the people in the pews, are clueless about the paradigm shift that is required.”
I didn’t know quite what to say, so I just kept listening. Because I know in my heart that they are right.
Read the rest HERE or HERE.
4 comments:
So, what's your take on it? Do you think the parish church model is bankrupt? If so, is that part of why you will be working in a school?
eliz, I read over the sermon again and I actually think that bob overstated his point in that part of the sermon ... but I do think that we need to do some revision and re-visioning about the parish church model.
I think that the "old parish model" may not thrive and survive past the next 20-25 years in its present (meaning its past!) form. I think the emerging church folks, the church plant folks and even the people involved with ecumenism (like you) have a lot to teach the "mainline" churches about what things need to happen...
As for working in a school, I just love to teach and have long wanted to try out the school chaplaincy role ... a truly "incarnational" ministry of presence and such... however, as I looked at schools, there are really quite few that I would want to serve at as a chaplain, and where I'm going has a pretty clear sense of their episcopal identity, its in a good diocese, and they really want an ordained priest to be a chaplain there...
Anyway, now I'm rambling...
Peace to you! I hope you're well!!
Peter
I am well, thanks! About to go on vacation, thanks be to God. Started work sooner than I would have liked (day after ordination), so am looking forward to a little down time and reflection/contemplation (especially after Mary and Martha last week ;) ).
Thanks again for posting the sermon. I also found it interesting that you all were, according to the preacher anyway, committed to being deacons. During the examination, when the bishop was reading the particulars about the diaconate, I found myself uncomfortable, but figured that was not the time to raise my hand and say, "Well, actually, bishop, I feel called to the priesthood."
At our ordination, our preacher "challenged" the two of us who were being ordained to the transitional diaconate (there were also two vocational deacons) to really BE deacons, but a week after I started my rector left for a month, and I was in charge...and I do not feel like a deacon (even though he's back now). I have immense respect for the diaconate, and am leaning towards thinking we should have direct ordination to the priesthood because I feel like the current model diminishes the diaconate, making it a "first step."
My ministry so far has definitely been as a pastor to the people, in the church, not in the world with particular attention to the poor.
Congratulations, Peter!! I'm thrilled for you. Good luck!
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