Start here: Bishop Muyombo challenges newly ordained to be conduits of God’s Love

Story by Sophia Agtarap | Photos by Patrick Scriven

A brass ensemble that played Trumpet Tune in G called us to gather for the Service of the Ordering of Ministry on the final day of Annual Conference.

Conference Lay Leader, Falisha Hola, welcomed those gathered in person and online as she oriented us to the rituals we would bear witness to, explaining the act of commissioning, the rite of ordination, and the laying on of hands.

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The gathered body was invited to remember our baptism and affirm our common ministry as a priesthood of all believers.

As candidates were presented with our prayers and support to be ordained and commissioned: Joseph Lee for ordination as deacon; Catherine Lyle, Drew Hogan, Mele Taumoepeau ’Aho, and Kate Crisci for ordination as elder; and Wilma Reyes for commissioning as provisional member preparing for ordained ministry as an elder, all were invited to witness the examination of candidates’ call as they responded, “I will, with the help of God”.

We received words of welcome and affirmation from Rev. Sheryl Kinder-Pyle, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of the Inland Northwest, who shared delight in our ecumenical partnership.

As we listened to the choir before hearing a good word from Bishop Mande Muyombo, we were left pondering the words, “Show us how to love.”

Bishop Muyombo, Resident Bishop of the North Katanga Area, which includes the North Katanga and Tanzania conferences in the Congo Central Conference of The United Methodist Church, began his sermon with the question: “Can something good come out of the West?”

And the answer is, “yes”

Taking us with him as he reminisced about a formative time serving in the Pacific Northwest, Bishop shared: “I have the blood of this area that has shepherded me all the way.”

Bishop Muyombo invited us to reflect on the contours of love. In this digital age, love is experienced as transactional and conditional, accompanied by a dose of skepticism. So it is no wonder that when a countercultural love that is selfless and compassionate is extended, there is doubt.

Bishop Muyombo invited us just to start, as daunting as it may seem. Say hello.

Candidates were reminded and encouraged: a call to love is a call to emptying; a call to action for ourselves and our communities. “It is your pastoral responsibility”, Bishop offered, “to be a conduit of God’s love.” Invoking the words of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu, he continued, “Humans are made for loving”.

“Can something good come out of the West?” Bishop Muyombo asked again. A resounding “yes” was repeated back.

Following Bishop Muyombo’s message, the children offered a familiar song, I Am the Church. After singing one round, those gathered in the sanctuary joined them, the familiar words echoing throughout the space:

I am the church! You are the church!

We are the church together!

All who follow Jesus,

all around the world!

Yes, we’re the church together!

Worship continued with a special offering going to The Endowment for Theological Education in the Central Conferences. You may continue to give online at: https://bit.ly/endowtecc

or by texting “ENDOWTECC” to 44321. After this was the recognition of the 70th Anniversary of Women’s Ordination, giving thanks for those who answered the call to ordained ministry with courage, resistance, and persistence.

Following the laying on of hands for Joe Lee, and the examination and laying on of hands of elders, Catherine Lyle, Drew Hogan, Mele Taumoepeau ’Aho, and Kate Crisci; those gathered celebrated communion and Bishop Bridgeforth reminded us that we have done wonderful things together these past few days that will impact the church beyond what we can imagine.

As we concluded our time of worship and celebration together, Bishop Bridgeforth named some of the wonderful things the body was able to accomplish together, including the election of delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conference–something that, as Bishop Bridgeforth said, “impacts the life and work of the church well into the future; beyond what we can imagine”.

As the delegates elected to represent the Pacific Northwest Annual Conference at the 2028 General and Western Jurisdictional Conferences were invited to rise and receive a prayer and blessing for the good, hard work ahead, Bishop invited the body to repeat this blessing and affirmation:

You are ours.

You are God’s.

We are in this together.

God go with you.

We go with you.

We go together.

Concluding with the Lord’s Prayer in the language, posture, and voice that each one claims, a symphony of voices covered the sanctuary and online.

Bishop Bridgeforth and newly ordained deacon, Rev. Joseph Lee, sent us forth in peace to serve God and neighbor in all that we do.

Amen. May it be so.