Today I’m leaving for our annual Board of Ordained Ministry retreat. No, I’m not on the board. This is the time when we probationary members have our annual interviews. We get together at one of the Methodist camps for fellowship and interviews about this time every year. This is my second year, so hopefully this will be my next-to-last time to be there as an interviewee.
This is such a long and complicated process, and it is one that I have mixed feelings about. On one hand, I appreciate the selectivity we have for UM pastors. On the other hand, if we really have a clergy shortage, I don’t think drawing the process out a decade does much to remedy that. Anyway, I don’t have any better ideas right now, and until I do, I’m not going to complain much.