With my ordination on the horizon, I’ve found myself in a deeply reflective place. I am full of gratitude, love, and awe at the movement of the Spirit in my life. My life looks very different than I once imagined, and I continue to find myself within these new, beautiful, and unfolding shapes of my own becoming. I am deeply grateful to celebrate my ordination during a time of abundance, joy, and community in my life.
If I think about my younger self, I could have never imagined being where I am now. I never would have believed I would be able to serve as a pastor fully as myself; one that queer, trans, quirky, weird, joyful, and wonderful all at once. I did not discover the MCC until the final year of my seminary in 2021, and I did not begin the ordination process until after I graduated. I spent a long time discerning where I was being called to serve faithfully, searching for a denomination where I could show up fully and honestly as who God created me to be. I am endlessly grateful to have found the MCC, a place where it feels like a breath of fresh air. A place where my own spirit can dream, hope, and belong alongside so many others who are searching for something similar.
It is one of the greatest honors of my life to be ordained within a denomination born from radically queer roots: a denomination that understands spirituality and sexuality as sacred and interconnected gifts from God. I am beyond grateful to belong to a community that dreams, changes, listens, and continues becoming; one that acknowledges we do not always get things right, but is willing to keep learning, growing, and trying again.
As I prepare for ordination, I carry deep gratitude for all the people, communities, mentors, friends, and companions who have helped shape me along the way. Thank you to everyone who has, is, and will continue to journey with me. I hope this service will be not only a celebration of my call to ministry, but also a witness to the beauty of a church where all people are invited to live fully, love deeply, and belong wholly.
With love, gratitude, and hope,
Pastor Eli