Ordination of a Priest – The Exhortation

Bishop Eric Menees

Greetings Friends in the Mighty Name of Jesus.   Over the course of the past couple of months, we’ve been examining the Ordinal in the 2019 BCP.  Having completed the Ordination of a Deacon we move to the Ordination of a Priest.   The Opening Acclamation, Collect for Purity, The Presentation, Signing of the Oaths of Canonical Obedience & Conformity, The Litany for Ordinations are all exactly the same as in the ordination of a deacon.   Under the Lessons, there are differences focusing upon the different nature of the ministry of a priest. The sermon follows, as does our confession of faith in the Nicene Creed.   With the Exhortation, the change comes. While the whole of the Exhortation is powerful, it is the first paragraph that lays out the ministry of a priest… namely: “to be a messenger, watchman, and steward of the Lord. You are to teach, to warn, to feed, and to provide for the Lord’s family, and to seek for Christ’s sheep who are in the midst of this fallen world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.” (BCP pg. 489)   Here the emphasis of a priestly ministry is highlighted… this is a ministry of Word and Sacrament for the salvation of souls. The reality that Christ comes to us in the Word of God is clear. Not simply the gospels or the New Testament but every word of Holy Scripture from the first verse in Genesis to the last verse of the Book of Revelation IS the Word of God and “contains all things necessary for salvation” as the Ordinal Oath proclaims and as first penned in the 39 Articles.    It is the sacred duty of a priest to preach, teach and live under the authority of the Word of God. These are the very words that give meaning and identity to life.   Equally, priests are to be Stewards of the Lord who teach, warn & feed the Lord’s family. It is in the administration of word and sacraments that the sheep are fed. Baptism, Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation, Holy Unction and Holy Matrimony are the very food that nourish the body of Christ, His Church, this mystical body which lives in the midst of a fallen world.   I bid you to read prayerfully this first paragraph of the Exhortation. Next week we will examine the following paragraph.   May you have a blessed day!   Bp. Menees   “You have heard, during the Church’s discernment of your vocation and in the Holy Scriptures themselves, how weighty is this Office to which you are called. I now exhort you, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to be a messenger, watchman, and steward of the Lord. You are to teach, to warn, to feed, and to provide for the Lord’s family, and to seek for Christ’s sheep who are in the midst of this fallen world, that they may be saved through Christ for ever.” (BCP pg. 489)

St James Anglican Church Service

Preacher Fr. Noah Lawson,

Celebrant Fr. Anthony Velez,

Fr. Carlos Rains

Deacon Anna Hearn

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My Final Scheduled Sermon

My Final Scheduled Sermon

Fr. Dale Matson

Last Sunday was my final scheduled Sermon. I was also the Celebrant at the first service. This week, after a discussion with my wife Sharon, I spent an hour with our Rector Fr. Carlos and asked his permission to be taken off the preaching schedule. He accepted my wishes and I forwarded a note to our Bishop Eric Menees with a CC to Carlos+

Our late Bishop Schofield gave me a license to preach when I was a postulant for the deaconate and I began preaching at Holy Family Episcopal Church in 2006.

Our bishop decided to remove his diocese from the Episcopal Church and was promptly sued by two of the churches in the diocese. My church was one of those that sued the bishop and I had a talk with the rector about my concerns. He simply told me that I was not a good follower and consequently could not see me as a leader. He told me that if I couldn’t obey him as my priest, he wouldn’t support my being installed in Holy Orders.

I called the Dean of the Cathedral, Fr. Carlos, who said he could support my being made a deacon. I was made a deacon in 2008.

After two years thinking it over as a deacon, I went to Bishop Schofield and said that I thought the Lord was calling me to be a Priest. He agreed and priested me in 2010.  He was inhibited by TEC the following day and I never became an Episcopal Church priest.

My robust health that I took for granted and enjoyed for most of my life began to decline and I attribute that to both the aging process and to Satan who hates it when the Gospel is preached. I have paid a price for the Gospel but would do it all again. 

Many of my sermons were prepared in our cabin in front of our fireplace. It was and remains some of my favorite times in the Word and with the Living Word Jesus Christ. We sold our cabin three years ago and it burned down last year in the Creek Fire.

Being a priest is my third and final iteration professionally. I was a plumber and heavy equipment operator for 17 years. I then got my masters and doctorate and was a psychologist and professor for 17 years. Although I am no longer “on the schedule”, I will still be a priest until I die (I will be 77 next month). His yoke is easy and His burden is light.

I led a scandalous, hedonistic and self-destructive life before I came back to our Lord. I am still a weak and flawed man who has done a mediocre job serving Him. I will continue to contribute to our Soundings Blog and my Mid Sierra Musings Blog. I wish to thank our St. James Parishioners and those of you on the internet. Pax et Bonum.    

Pentecost 10B 2021 St. James Anglican Church Service

 Pentecost 10B 2021

Celebrant Fr. Anthony Velez

Preacher Fr. Dale Matson

Deacon Anna Hearn

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