Every so often someone asks me why Pastor John wears a stole and I don’t. Some people already know and some people don’t think much about it. I thought I would take this chance to address the question since it ties into some things that are keeping me quite busy these days.
First, what exactly is a stole and what is it for?
A stole is a long, narrow strip of colored material worn by ordained elders and deacons as a symbol of their ordination. Ordained elders, like Pastor John, wear the stole around their neck. Ordained deacons, wear stole over their left shoulder only. Stoles are often in the appropriate color of the day or season of the Christian year and are often decorated with Christian symbols.
As United Methodists, we are not always very fussy about details. Sometimes you will see a local pastor (someone who is not yet ordained but has been appointed to serve as a pastor in a local church), a probationary elder (like me, see more on this below) or a probationary deacon wearing a stole. While I have yet to find anything in writing that explicitly forbids this, it is certainly contrary to the symbolic meaning of the stole in our tradition.
My current status as a pastor is that of Probationary Elder. I have been commissioned by the Bishop to serve while fulfilling my period of probation and all of the elements related to it. If all goes according to plan, in June of 2008, the Bishop assigned to the Southwest Texas Conference will lay hands upon me and ordain me as an Elder in Full Connection. A stole will then be placed around my neck and over my shoulders to signify my ordination. Before that, you are not likely to see a stole around my neck.
My ordination in 2008 is a really big deal. (And that is a really big understatement.) It will represent over eight years of work on my part including a discernment process, three years of seminary, psychological evaluations, a theological examination and interviews, three years of probationary ministry and continuing education, mentoring, and spiritual development.
After all I have already done, I am really just starting the big push. Before my ordination in 2008, I need to accomplish a number of things. First, I will need to complete an extensive theological project to be presented to my Covenant Connection committee (the group that oversees my probation.) For my project, I am writing on developing systems for discipleship in the local church based on John Wesley’s understanding of sanctifying grace. Second, I need to write another theological examination to be read by members of the Board of Ordained Ministry. The exam I wrote before my commissioning was around 35 pages. It includes fun questions like, “What does it mean to affirm that “Jesus is the Christ” or, alternatively, “Jesus Christ is Lord” in our modern, religiously pluralistic culture?”
It is typical for a probationer like me to remain at an appointment for the entire length of their three-year probation. Therefore, the cabinet is likely to let me remain at Grace at least through May of 2008. So, it is likely that I will be here, as your pastor, as I am making the last push toward my ordination. This will all be quite a bit to juggle: being a pastor, working on these projects, raising a little boy, being a husband, and somehow staying healthy. But, through God’s grace and your love and support, I will persevere. And if all goes well, you can come and see me wear a stole for the first time on the stage at Selena Auditorium during the ordination ceremony in June, 2008!
peace,
will
