Sunday, October 14, 2007

Installation

Years ago, during my sojourn with the Episcopalians, the new rector of our church arrived, and was going to be formally welcomed by congregation and bishop. I asked eagerly about the details of her installation.

"I am not being installed," she said, testily. "Toilets are installed. I am being instituted."

Well. Here I am, not an Episcopalian any longer, but a Presbyterian, and today I am, indeed, being installed. Come to think of it, I kind of like the toilet metaphor. Toilets are good and necessary things. They keep the household running (ahem) smoothly. They minister to the sick and the well alike. You can read on the toilet.

Now, the toilet does have to deal with a lot of crap. But who doesn't, minister or congregant alike? And while a household can, I suppose, do without a toilet, it's nicer if one's around.

OK. Done torturing that metaphor. I am being installed today. Here is the call to worship for my installation:

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life…
Shall we gather at the river?
… bright as crystal, flowing through the city of God.
Yes! We’ll gather at the river.
On either side of the river is the Tree of Life…
Yes! We’ll gather at the river…
The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
…the river that flows by the throne of God.

I hereby solicit your prayers as I mark the beginning of my ministry with New Church. I am so happy. And a little scared. But mostly happy.

11 comments:

KnittinPreacher said...

Gorgeous call to worship, and excellent use of metaphor.

I shall continue to hold you in my prayers as you begin this new adventure!

Hugs!

KP

more cows than people said...

can't wait... leaving soon... prayed for you in church last night and this morning.

Unknown said...

If I yelled the passage does that mean it will work?

Good Luck.

Magdalene6127 said...

KP, thanks so much!

MoreCows, can't wait to see you!

Wyld, Yes! It worked!

Thanks all...

Leaving soon....

Mags

Barbara B. said...

quite the metaphor!!! :)

St. Casserole said...

So happy for your congregation and for you!

Anonymous said...

Congratulations and welcome to the installed-so-very-much-like-a-toilet fold. So happy for you and especially for your congregation.

Anonymous said...

Congratuations Mags!

It sounds very official.

June Butler said...

Congratulations, Mags! May God bless you and your congregation.

I love the toilet metaphor. I absolutely love it.

Magdalene6127 said...

Dear friends, thanks so much for your good wishes, and your approbation of the metaphor. I'll keep my eyes open for more applications of it.

Much love and gratitude for your prayers.

Gannet Girl said...

I LOVE the toilet metaphor.

I am not much for the way people (I have only recently discovered) fling he word humility arond. As soon as someone articulates the word itself, I tend to think (perhaps in a mean way?), hmmm, if it's said aloud, probably doesn't apply.

But in metaphor -- my response is entirely different!