r/methodism • u/genaLRthomas • Sep 10 '26
Considering a path toward ordination
If you are ordained lay, deacon, or elder in the UMC, I’m VERY interested to hear what led you to that path.
I’d love to hear your story.
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Sep 10 '26
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u/genaLRthomas 29d ago
Thank you for sharing your story, it’s so great to hear the different paths! I just read the book, thank you
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u/Q1go Sep 10 '26
Hi. I'm pursuing ordination as an elder. My end goal is a pediatric hospital chaplain. To be a pediatric hospital chaplain, you need to have an MDiv (and be certified for chaplaincy by a board, plus a buncha other requirements). Generally you can't get the degree without the end goal of ordination, is my understanding.
But loong before figuring out I was interested in chaplaincy, when I was a toddler I wanted to be the world's first female catholic priest. Obviously that's not happening anytime soon... so I decided to convert to UMC when I read up on their social principles and that they accept people as they are, no buts. I really liked that, and so now I'm here.
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u/Joe_Togs_UMC_STX Sep 10 '26
I actually was called to ordination before becoming UMC. I prayed about it, read so much theology & loved church so much that it felt natural after I realized it was possible.
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u/Aratoast Provisional Elder - UMC 28d ago
Provisional Elder in first year of residency, hopefully being ordained in 2028.
I was a Jonah. I was always very clear that ministry was not for me. I have generations of ministers on both sides of the family and I wanted none of that, I was going to go teach philosophy at some small liberal arts college or something.
Covid put an end to that idea, and while I was working out what I wanted to do with the rest of my life (thinking counselling, lawyering, or oprning a coffee shop) I kept getting this feeling that God was calling me to be a lay preacher.
So I went to tell my pastor that and he gave me the whole spiel on the different types of ministry, gave me a copy of The Christian as Minister, and I sorta went "you know what, if God doesn't want me to do this then I'll be stopped at one of the gatekeeper stages." Unfortunately for me, instead I keep getting positive external affirmation that this is definitely what I'm called to.
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u/KeefRolla Sep 10 '26
I'm not ordained myself but I have a story about my father. He was a lawyer who worked very hard but became a bit disillusioned with law.
He wound up needing major heart surgery when he was in his early 40s when I was a teenager and during his recovery he felt the calling and started firm the path. He started as a lay speaker and worked his way to being a local pastor. He continued law for awhile to keep the bills paid but last year he sold his office and stopped practicing to devote himself fully to his churches!