Ordinations and Construction

 This past Saturday, the Diocese of which I am part held its ordinations to the priesthood.  This year we had 3 goodly candidates for orders, all sincere men who have expressed clearly over their years of formation a desire to serve and build up the church of God.  The service was obliged to be held at St. Timothy's Episcopal church in Winston-Salem; due to the fact that none of our own chapels at present would be able to hold the number of people who attended the service. I and the entire diocese are eternally grateful to the rector and people of St. Timothy's for allowing us to use their smaller chapel (to the side of the main church).  Words cannot possibly express our gratitude for their friendship and mutual work over the years.  

The smaller chapel at St. Timothy's is not as small as it may sound, it's actually a quite decently sized church, and was the original church that their congregation started in many decades ago.  As I myself stood in the nave of the church and looked around; I found myself looking at exactly the sort of church I myself have sought for so many years to build.  Our Diocese is actively working to raise funds to build ourselves a small cathedral, of just such size as the chapel which we were graciously permitted to use this past weekend.  While we have had some generous benefactors; we are still a long way away from our goal and the ability to start building anything.  

Building anything in regards to worship or church structures is always a gamble; because we never know if the money will come, if the fundraising will be successful, if the building will be approved for construction, or more.  However much like all aspects of life for those of us of faith, we take our actions and plans on faith; placing our trust in God, that if he intends for things to happen, eventually we will be able to find a way to make them happen.  In many cases, the Lord's plan tends to be quite different than our own; much to the chagrin of ourselves and others. 

What we desire though, is a place where all manner of people may come to pray and worship the Lord in an environment which frees them, for a time; from the drudgery and pains of this world.  A place where they can hear the word preached; and receive the Word eternal in the sacrament of the altar. A place where men can be formed and trained for priestly and diaconal service; and where donations can be gathered to be dispensed to our outreach ministries with the homeless and others.  

In many ways, it may seem pointless or fruitless to build a church, given the world in which we live; but when you stop to think about what we are trying to build, you realize how important of a place it is.  We are building a temple for Almighty God's presence to dwell, a place where the mortal may encounter the divine in physical reality, a place where salvation may be found from the stains and pains of this world of darkness.  It is for these same causes that our 3 new priests have been ordained; to bring men to Christ, and Christ to mankind.  

I ask each of you who may read this, to pray for us as we seek to build the Cathedral of Christ the King.  Help us by prayer or other support if you feel so called and are able to do; but most of all, pray for our priests- for they are the men who will lead you to Christ and bring Christ to you in the sacraments of our Holy Mother Church.