Saturday, at 2:00, we will join with First UU Austin at their church to do one of our sacred duties as a congregation: we will ordain our former intern, Carrie Holley-Hurt.

In our tradition, only a congregation can ordain a minister. Not the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), or the Ministerial Fellowshipping Committee (MFC, our credentialing body), or the Unitarian Universalist Ministers’ Association (UUMA). Only a congregation. Or in this case, two congregations.

I am awed by the theological significance of the event.

Ministers have many different duties, pastoral, prophetic, preaching, teaching … the sacramental duties are referred to as the “priestly functions,” even though none in our tradition go by the title of priest.  Officiating at a wedding, baby dedications, those sorts of things.

But for an ordination, the congregation as a whole, the church body, does the priestly function. The church body becomes priest. They draw out from their midst an individual, acknowledge the calling on their life, and because we are a tradition of learned clergy, often recognize the education, training, and fellowshipping that has been a part of their preparation. And then they set the individual apart, giving them special authority for ministry.

It takes away my breath, not just the transformation of the ordinand, but the transformation of the congregation itself, into this priestly role. It is incarnation, as the congregation becomes the body of Unitarian Universalism, of our heritage, our traditions.

The ordination happens to Carrie, but it is also about something bigger — the holy mystery in which we understand ourselves as a Unitarian Universalist congregation.  We do not require an intermediary or higher authority, such as a bishop, to acknowledge the workings of Spirit; we are that authority.

And you are invited! You’ll see some familiar faces taking part in the service, including me and representing Live Oak, our president, Becky Gregory. There will be music, a sermon, and rituals specific to the ordination, such as the Charge to the Minister, Laying On of Hands, and of course, the ordination rite. If you are a member of Live Oak, you will take part in that, as we rise and read the words of ordination.

See you Saturday!

(New to Unitarian Universalism and curious about what it takes to become a UU minister? Here is the process: https://www.uua.org/careers/ministers/becoming/prep-stages).