Ordination service bulletin

Worship Celebration of the Ordination of
Cameron Linen and Alison Smith Longstaff
June 26, 2009

Prelude: O Come Everyone That Thirsteth
Mendelssohn’s "Elijah"
Longstaff Family Singers

Processional Hymn
Jerusalem the Golden - p 6
(Please stand)

Opening of the Word

Responsive Call to Celebration

There are those who say that God cannot be heard,
In these times of turmoil, hopelessness and confusion

there is also justice and hope and clarity,
for the Lord is present.
There are those who say that God cannot be seen,
In the midst of anonymity, loneliness and alienation

there is also community, belonging and purpose,
for the Lord is present.
There are those who say that God cannot be felt,
People who hunger for the healing love of God,
for the Lord is present.
Let us proclaim our faith in those who have heard God’s gentle voice,
Let us proclaim our confidence in those who follow God.
Let us proclaim our trust in those who have seen God.
Let us support those who step forward to serve God.
Let us rejoice that Cameron and Alison have responded

to God’s call and have come before us for our blessings
and the blessings of the Lord; for the Lord is present.

Hymn
This is My Father’s World- p 7
(Please Stand)

A Call to the Faithful

The spirit of God has sent us to bring good news to the oppressed,
To bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners,
To comfort all who mourn,
To give them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations,
the devastations of many generations.
You shall be named ministers of our God.

The Word and The Call

Matthew 25: 34-40
Welcoming the Stranger
Alison Smith Longstaff

Anthem
Warrior
Wyrd Sisters
Convention Chorus of Women

Philippians 2: 1-4
Doing the Work
Cameron Linen

Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God, The Creator, The Christ, The Light of the World whose eternal spirit moved upon the face of the waters at the beginning, and moves within us now. To a world in darkness the Eternal Light became one of us, transcended every human frailty, overcame the hells, restored the balance of the spiritual world and saved humanity. Today the Lord comes to us anew in the spiritual understanding of the Word. With its enlightenment and renewal of life, this disclosure is the Second Coming in Spirit, making possible a new and larger life as we love God and love the good which comes from God in all people. So far as we honor the Lord in worship and in life as the visible God in whom is the invisible Divine, we walk in the light of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Lord’s Prayer
OUR CREATOR, You are within us and all around us. Your spirit enters us in every breath. We honor Your holy names. We celebrate Your presence and the coming of Your Wisdom Unfolding from the depths within us, Your will is done. Each day You freely offer us all that we need. You show us our weaknesses and help us to overcome them. You give us the courage to act in love and wisdom. For You are the dwelling place of all people, the empowering guide and the joy of life itself now and forever. Amen.

Anthem
Soon Love Soon
Vienna Tang
Longstaff Family Singers, Marcia Smith, soloist

Presentation of the Candidates

Doctrine of the Church

Essentials of the Church

Faith of the Church

The Inquiry
President: Alison and Cameron you now stand before this faithful assembly who love and trust you. In the depth of your heart do you believe that Divine Providence has led you to minister to all those that are a part of the New Jerusalem?
Ordinands: I do so believe I have been called by name and led to this place.
Congregation: We honor you and the journey that has brought you here.
Minister: Do you declare your commitment and faithfulness to the Lord, the Divine Word and the heavenly teachings of the New Jerusalem as unfolded in the writings by Emanuel Swedenborg?
Ordinands: I do so declare they are a lamp unto my feet and a light upon my path.
Congregation: The Light of heaven shines upon your path.
President: Is it your desire to be ordained as minister of the New Church that you would lead as priest, prophet, teacher, and pastor; humbly opening your heart to the Lord as the Source of all truth, love and power?
Ordinands: I do so desire to be ordained into the ministry, that with the Lord’s help I shall fulfill my calling to do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with my God.
ALL: We will walk with you.

Laying on of Hands

Ministerial Grace

Presentation of the Tokens of Ordination

Charge to Ordinands
President Christine Laitner

Hymn of Blessing
Canticle of the Turning
Rory Cooney
Convention Choir and Congregation



Closing of the Word

Benediction
Rev Cameron Linen and Rev. Alison Smith Longstaff

Recessional
Ode to Joy
arr. A.V. Fedak

Hallelujah Chorus
George F. Handel


Liturgists
Reverend Andrew Stinson
Ordaining Minister
Ms. Christine Laitner
President of Convention

Musicians
Rev. Ken Turley, Worship Coordinator
Laurie Turley, Convention Choirmaster
The Convention Choir
The Longstaff Family Singers
Convention Chorus of Women
Ms. Bet Giddings, Accompanist

Laying on of Hands
For Cameron Linen
Rev. Wilma Wake – mentor
Rev. Ken Turley - mentor


For Alison S. Longstaff
Pat Tukos - advisor
Rev. John Maine – mentor
Phil Longstaff – representing the whole family
Vida Jaugelis –Lutheran classmate

16 days

and counting.....

I passed my courses and passed my final exams. I have jumped through all the hoops. I am scheduled to be ordained June 26th at 7:30 pm in Seattle, Washington.

WAHOOOOOOOO!

June 14, 2009

My Journey
Alison Longstaff, June 14 2009
Church of the Good Shepherd

(my final talk at Good Shepherd before I head off to my ordination)

"for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.'" Matt 25:35-36

In ancient Rome and Greece, newborn baby girls were regularly abandoned by the roadside and left to die. Girls were considered a liability. They cost money to marry off, and they couldn’t carry on the family name. By the time of the Lord’s birth on earth Roman society was experiencing a severe shortage of women because of their neglect and abandonment of baby girls. It didn’t stop the practice though.
There are parts of the world where girls are still treated this way. Indeed, the practice of subjugating and devaluing women continues in many subtle ways in every corner of our world. Our culture has come a long way, but we’ve still got a long way to go.

However, this isn’t meant to be a “women’s lib” talk. It is a cry against discrimination in every form. We all know injustice, not just women, not just blacks, not just immigrants. Every one of us in this room, at one time or another in our lives has felt marginalized, singled out, or picked on. From playground bullying, to being the last one picked for basketball, to being refused service or support because our income is too low, we have all experienced that feeling of the door slamming in our face---of being deemed unworthy. We all know the emotional experience of having the pack withdraw from us and look at us with dislike. It feels rotten.

If an infant experiences the withdrawal of the pack, it faces certain death. Such abandonment communicates profound dehumanization. That child is considered a waste of time and resources. How can the most helpless and innocent of all human beings comprehend such a rejection? Perhaps that is why all forms of rejection cut so deep. It communicates to our “lizard brain” that we are singled out to die. Though you and I may be relatively mature, and know in our heads that we will survive rejection just fine, an experience of rejection or abandonment can still throw us into a profoundly vulnerable emotional place. Our lizard brain sees the complete withdrawal of our support, resources, and foundation, and it believes we are going to die.

That was essentially what my emotional state was when I wandered in here. I had been cut out of my pack. I had been left by the road to die, without a backward glance. I was the walking wounded, rejected by my spiritual family and kicked out of the only spiritual home I had ever known. Yes, I was welcome back, if I kept my mouth shut about the injustice and the sexism I was witnessing. Yes I was welcome back if I gave up my call to ministry and suppressed it as unnatural and unfeminine. After all, the Papal Decree had come down from the top: “God says women can’t be ministers, so shut up and stop your whining.” (I think those were the bishop’s exact words....) I was welcome back if I stopped being me. They wanted my body in the pews, but not my heart, my intelligence, or my longing to be a minister.

So I stumbled in here, lost and confused. I had nowhere to belong.

“for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me."

I brought with me music and enthusiasm, a passel of equally hurting friends, and a deep yearning to belong. Poor pastor Ros had no idea what to do with me. I hovered around the edges, just wanting a place where I fit in. And you enfolded me in your kindness.

And you guys didn’t just let me hang around the fringes; you welcomed me in just the way I was. You didn’t just tolerate me, you seemed, proud of my desire to be a minister! It blew my mind. I began to realize that I had found a new home when Pastor John said, “Look, you are our seminarian. See, there’s your name on our bulletin, ‘Alison Longstaff, our seminarian.’” I burst into tears.

You offered me unconditional love. You treated me like I was worth something, just the way I was. You blew me out of the water. Like a kicked puppy, I still sometimes wonder when the criticisms and judgment will begin again. If you sometimes read hesitancy and caution in any of us who have come to your fold from a colder place, that is probably what you are reading. Be patient. It takes a while to learn that it really is safe here.

And though we may look around and think we are kind of a motley crew, just remember this: Jacob, of “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” fame, accepted into his flock all the speckled and spotted sheep, all the blemished and broken ones that others didn’t want. And from that beginning, he became the wealthiest man of all.
So maybe this church of unconditional love, peace, and patience don’t have glossy brochures, buckets of money, or a huge membership. So it is small and humble and struggling. It has the one thing that matters. It has everything it will ever need. It has love.

You had me at the first hello. You took me in, warts and all.
That’s all it took to win my love forever. Now it’s my turn to give back. From one lost lamb about to become a Shepherd thanks to you, my deepest, most heartfelt THANKYOU.

Flying Swoo

So I hear there's a pandemic coming.

I heard about it on the radio. I think it's called "flying swoo."

I wonder if I have it.

After all, I have these symptoms....

My pocketbook is really hurting.

And over the years , my body has gotten all big and puffy.

The doctor says I eat too much, but I think it's the flying swoo.

My brain isn't what it used to be. My memory is going.

I find it's harder and harder to care if my house is messy, or if my clothes aren't perfect.

Flying Swoo.

It sounds like something I'd want to duck.

I'm not sure I want to get hit by some flying swoo.

What are some other symptoms?

Sometimes it feels like my life is going to pieces.

I feel much less in control.

My pride hurts. My dreams are pathetic shadows of their formers selves.

Do I have flying swoo?

Maybe if I ignore it, it will go away.

A perfect commentary

I started this Blog as a way of recording what this journey looks like, for anyone coming after me, or in a similar situation, and for my friends to keep tabs on my adventure. I also have used it as an outlet for joy, frustration, and all the other emotional ups and downs of this wild ride.

I started out excited and wordy and full of commentary, and have ended up sick to death of writing and listening to myself think.

And my last posting, which stood un-touched for weeks was "What doesn't kill you...."

heh heh.

It's all a perfect commentary. I'm in the final stages of labour now. This baby is coming! I just got my second to last "yes" to my ordination on April 2nd, and have been asked to begin planning the service.

What energy and attention I have left is going into jumping through the final hoops required of me. I'm sleeping between contractions now, I'm so tired of the process, so to speak. I'm almost too tired to be excited.

So here I am in Maine, half-way through my two-week internship with Rev. Ken Turley in Fryeburg. The locals are wonderful with buckets of personality, but I've caught the plague that is going around. There's a nasty cough/sinus/sore-throat bug going around, so ubiquitous that church yesterday sounded like a consumption ward. Ken just stoppped talking in the middle of his sermon for a while because nobody could hear what he was saying over all the hacking and nose-blowing. It's just funny. This is real life---real church. The choir director was so sick he couldn't sing, so I sang tenor. But he played a mean hammer-dulcimer for one of the songs and for the prelude (covet, covet....). For a tiny congregation, their choir ROCKS.

So, I'm shouting out from my final sprint to say THANK YOU to everyone who has followed this process with me and supported me. The finish line is in sight.

My ordination, if I get my final "yes" is scheduled for June 26th in the evening, on the campus of the University of Washington in Seattle. Anyone who can possibly travel that far and wants to come is welcome.

WAHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

What doesn't kill you....

...just makes you wish you were dead.





In tribute to the Very Bad Day I'm having, and with the help of http://www.despair.com/,





I bring you, I hope, some humour.







Yay.

With thanks to the US government....

The US economy's failure is having a cascade of consequences for us peasants. My husband is looking for work again. His little company just handed out the last paychecks for who knows how long.

Is there somebody I can punch?

See the article below by CBC's Henry Champ:

Lawmakers fume at excess of failed firm's execs

Wednesday, October 8, 2008 03:27 PM ET

By Henry Champ

(The full article is here:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/reportsfromabroad/champblog/2008/10/eyebrowraising_excess_at_the_t.html )

"Just when you thought you'd heard it all on the U.S. financial crisis...
You'll remember that $85-billion US taxpayer loan to the American International Group (AIG). That was made on Sept. 16. In return, AIG surrendered 79.9 per cent of its stock to the government.

Less than a week later, the company's executives, clearly to ease the mental strain they had been undergoing, pitched up at the exclusive St. Regis Resort at Monarch Beach in California.
It's not easy running a once-profitable insurance company into the ground, then waiting nervously for taxpayers to bail you out. The resort allowed these men and women to pull themselves together.
Unfortunately for some, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform got some copies of the bill.
In one week, AIG executives spent $440,000. There was $200,000 for rooms. Another $150,000 in food, $23,000 at the spa, $1,400 at the salon and $7,000 in green fees. Then there is the old favourite, the bar tab, which topped out at $10,000.
"They were getting facials, their manicures and their massages, while the American people were footing the bill," Maryland Democrat Elijah Cummings fumed during the oversight committee hearing."

"Now for the kicker.
Joe Cassano was president of AIG's financial products division. That's the group that trafficked in credit-default swaps (CDS). It was this trading that most analysts say brought down the insurance giant.
Under the terms of his contract, the committee heard yesterday, Cassano and his executive colleagues were paid 30 cents on every dollar these CDS products made. All told, Cassano made $280 million running this division, a fact that raised the ire of many lawmakers.
Ruining is perhaps a better word than running, since the division lost $11 billion, which led to the near-collapse of the company. Cassano was fired Feb. 29 of this year, but was allowed to keep $34 million in bonuses.
How can anyone receive a bonus for this kind of track record?
The horror story does not stop here. Cassano was then kept on as an AIG consultant at a salary of $1 million a month. That's not a typo. One million dollars a month.
Committee members asked why. The response, from former CEO Martin Sullivan: "I wanted to retain the 20-year knowledge of the transactions."

"Sadly, the committee hearings will get less attention than the second presidential debate, which by any standard was a disappointment. The town-hall rules that governed this debate left no possibility of followup questions.
As a result, when Obama suggested AIG should be forced to repay taxpayers for the resort/spa fiasco and the company's executives should be fired for authorizing the retreat, McCain ignored the issue, and it died."

Hmmm. It's hard to say just how it feels to lose our income and well-being and possibly our house so that some of the ultra-rich can be bailed out and get massages and facials for all their trauma....