Its been awhile since I've been on here and taken time to gather my thoughts. As it is tonight I'm going to writing in the ad breaks of "Family Guy". (My priorities are
definitely in the right place!)
Anyway, I have survived the first month and a bit of my OSS placement. Better news is; I'm still really enjoying it. Had a very full-on week this week which has been a challenge but still happy.
I had my commissioning for the
OSS last week. It was a part of our youth service
SN@P. Lots of people came and I'm so grateful for the support everyone is showing to me.
I thought I'd post the talk that I gave that night. A bit has been added to go into the church newspaper thing next issue. It's really a cheat's way to just post it here but hopefully I'll remember what I said and be challenged to keep the promises I made.
Actually before I put that I"ll include the promises and the commissioning liturgy.
Kim you have answered Christ's call to serve in a very special way. As you continue in this special year of sacrificial service for Christ, through the Church, we want to offer our thanks to God for your service. When you take such a step as this it is a great privilege and also a big responsibility. So we want you to re-affirm your faith and calling, in front of your family and friends and your congregation. Will everyone please stand.
Kim, do you confess Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Lord?
YES I DO
Do you believe in your heart that you have been led by the Spirit of God to engage in this work and to assume all of its responsibilities?
YES I DO
Knowing that Christ is with you, do you now dedicate yourself, to be a part of CECM/NCYC team and provide your service full time over the next twelve months to them?
YES I DO
Will you try to be a person who prays, takes time out for worship and reflection and attempt to grow in your Christian faith?
YES I WILL TRY
People of the Congregation at Pilgrim, Kim's family and friends, will you support Kim with your prayers, pastoral care and help? (Hopefully your response here is YES WE WILL)
YES WE WILL
PRAYER OF DEDICATION [with Laying of Hands]
Could all the people, who are involved in the prayer of dedication, please come forward now.
[Those involved come forward to the centre Kim who kneels, and they lay hands on her]
Let us pray,
Loving God, here is Kim, now dedicated to serve you. Fill her with your Spirit, enrich her with your grace, strengthen her for the tasks that lie ahead so that in all she does she might help others to see God at work in this world, in the name of the God, Amen.
SUNG BLESSING [Kim remains kneeling during this]
Kim, welcome to the Order of St Stephen. You are an enthusiastic, passionate candidate who has heard God's call. I hope your experience at CECM will be fantastic and I also hope you know that you have the prayers and support of the OSS committee, your family and friends, and very importantly the congregation here in Pilgrim Uniting.
THE CONGREGATION WILDLY APPLAUDS
Kim briefly respondsAnd this is that response!
Order of St. Stephen
This Order is named after a man called Stephen who was appointed by the twelve apostles during their work in the life of the church. He was a man of both grace and power who accepted the challenge of serving God by caring for people in the church in Jerusalem. This left the apostles free to devote more time to preaching the gospel. Stephen was stoned to death for speaking out and his criticizing those who turned away from God. (For more information, read Acts Ch 6 & 7).
The Order of St. Stephen started in Australia in 1950 as a fellowship for those who wanted to serve God in a voluntary capacity. Since that time, many people have completed a year of service and become members of the Order. Gods calls people of all ages and skills to serve in different ways. Giving one year or more in a voluntary capacity is one way of making a response to God
During the period of service, the applicant, will be known as a candidate. To mark the beginning of your period of service, a commissioning service of worship will be held, probably in the applicants home church. On the satisfactory completion of one full year full-time service (or part-time equivalent), the applicant become eligible for admission to the Order of St. Stephen. A Service of Worship is held typically in the candidate's work place to mark their admission to the Order and they are presented with the badge of the Order and a certificate to indicate the service that you have completed.
While the candidate is engaged in your year of service, the Synod Coordinator and committee are available to them for help and advice if needed. In the place where they serve, there will be: - a supervisor who will provide three progress reports per year - a support person (usually an ex-O.S.S.) who will meet with them on a regular basis to provide encouragement and help as needed workshops which are conducted throughout the year, to promote input and support from fellow candidates
- Taken from the Christian Education and Congregational Mission website.
This year I decided to take up the challenge of a year of service through the Order of St Stephen. I've been placed at the Christian Education and Congregational Mission unit (CECM) in Kew. My role is a support person NCYC 2009, which is looking to be held in Melbourne.
Sunday 26th of February was my commissioning at the SN@P service. I was amazed and blessed by the people that came to worship that night to show their support. Thank you for that.
On Friday 3rd of March, "Rhax" (who has been a part of the Pilgrim community) will have the service of worship marking the end of his two year part-time placement at CECM. I'm excited that I have had the chance to be a part of some his journey as he has concluded his time and I have begun my placement. Thanks Rhax for you encouragement and congratulations.
Following is the talk that I gave as a response during the commissioning.
Thank you for the people who have come especially tonight for this commissioning. I appreciate it.
So why would I (like many others) commit myself to a year of photocopying, ringing around, committee meetings, minute taking and many even more fascinating jobs?
Towards the end of last year I realised that it was time to move on from the job I was in. I'd learnt a lot there and enjoyed working with the people in that office but I became more and more aware that I wanted to take some deliberate time to explore God's plans for my life.
There were plenty of options there. I was spoilt for choice. The Order of St Stephen was one of my choices. I'd heard about it at NCYC 2001 and always thought it was something I would be interested in. I wasn't sure where in the different options God wanted me and how I could find that out.
A friend mentioned that when he has had a decision like this he's found it helpful to take a step in faith, try the door and see what happens. He's found that if it's God's will, at that time and place then it will happen.
I wanted to give this year to God, for Him to use me and for me to grow with Him. The best way I could see of serving Him in my work life was Order of St Stephen and a year of Christian service. So I took that step of faith. It was very a small step; I picked up the phone made and made a call.
The first few bits of the process were easy and that was reassuring. I really felt God's hand in the process, His blessing on things and most of all I was really peaceful about what was happening. But during the few days before the interview I began to worry that I'd forgotten why I wanted to do the OSS.
It was at this point the God really supported my earlier step of faith. I was sitting down doing some study on Acts and flicking through my Bible. One of my favourite verses is Jeremiah 29v11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV) That night I came across that written on an old order of service that is in the front of my Bible and that gave me peace to know that these plans were in God's hands.
The other part of that was that the text I was studying that night included Acts 6 and the choosing of the Seven that was mentioned before: The passage that is basis for the Order of Stephen. That week I was to read that passage about three or four times as part of my studying. It kept coming up and reminding me that I wanted to do the order of St Stephen and give my time to God to use in service.
In this first month that work has included photocopying over 1550 pieces of paper (thankfully most of that was double sided), stuffing about 200 envelopes on my second day of work, and reading over 338 pages of NCYC reports. But I'm really enjoying it and I hope that God can use me and that I can continue to enjoy this year.
Thank you again for the support that is a part of the Pilgrim community. I hope I never take it for granted! If anyone is interested in knowing more about the Order of St Stephen, please come and ask me about it, I'd love to talk.
