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Eighteen women and men were ordained as Elders and one woman was ordained a full member Deacon at an ordination service May 24. In addition, 16 others were commissioned as probationary members.

"Lighten up, loosen up, and have a little fun," Bishop Thomas J. Bickerton from the Pittsburgh Area, told the ordinands and those being commissioned in a sermon during the service.

Too many people today sleep too tight, are too intense and unhappy in the way they live, he said. Likewise too many churches today are the same way: too intense, skeptical and afraid. Too many pastors, people and churches have become mechanical and indifferent.

Bickerton encouraged the new pastors to do as John Wesley did, "He walked out of his high steeple and got his hands dirty where the people were. We've talked too long about our (United Methodist) demise," he said. "Culture has more influence on the church than the church has on culture. But God wants us to loosen up."

To loosen up doesn't diminish the call of the clergy or the ministry of the laity, the bishop said. "You have been entrusted with a gift, the gift of your call, to nourish and carry on faithfully. Today is a day to celebrate that you said ‘yes' to the call and the joy you feel inside."

Bickerton further instructed the ordinands and those being commissioned, "In the midst of chaos and uncertainty, aim for perfection, be of one mind, and live in peace," as Paul directed in 2 Corinthians.

The bishop told of his friend and district superintendent who recently suffered a severe stroke and doctors discovered a massive tumor on his brain. After surgery and intensive care for several days, the man slowly began to gain consciousness, and faces a long recovery. "I encouraged him to draw on the faith stored up in his own body," Bickerton said.

Like his friend, the bishop said, we are prisoners in our own bodies, struck by an inability to make disciples for transforming the world. "There's a disconnect inside. We're biblically illiterate and joy-challenged. We lie paralyzed in the midst of it all."

Turning directly to the ordinands and probationers, he said, "This is what you're walking into, where you're being called. You're not here to maintain the machinery of the church. We need to transform the church, to lead in the name of Jesus Christ."

One day, as Bishop Bickerton sat at the bedside of his friend, deep in a coma, the doctor pounded on the man's chest and shouted, "Wake up, Lamar, squeeze my hand."

Lamar did. The doctor said not to be afraid to "get loud" with him, "to get this guy awake."

"Maybe that will work today," Bickerton said, and shouted over and over into the audience, "Hey church, wake up! Wake up!"

Then turning to the Class of 2008, he said, "Hey church, trust the gift God has entrusted in your care."

Bishop Jane Middleton of the Central Pennsylvania Area, and retired Bishop Forrest Stith joined Bishops Schol and Bickerton in the laying on of hands ritual that makes up the final step in the commissioning and ordination services.

"Look at this group," Bishop Schol said, "this is the awakening of the church." He then asked the ordinands the traditional questions of the faith.

The four bishops laid hands on each ordinand as he or she was called by name to kneel before them.

Eight women and 10 men were ordained as Elders and one woman was ordained a Deacon. It is perhaps the most diverse class of recent years with seven African-Americans, a Korean and a couple from Russia. They range in age with the youngest, Sarah Andrews and Kendrick Weaver in their mid-20s; and John Blanchard at 64, the oldest.

Clergy couple, Victoria Karakcheyeva and Alex Karakcheyev, came to this country from Russia together, learned English, pursued the ministry and attended seminary together as they began and expanded the Russian Initiative church in 2005. She now serves Wesley Grove in Woodfield.

Timothy Warner was conference associate council director for community development when he received his call to ministry. He said his call to ministry "took me away from money-making to helping others develop." Warner is moving on into extension ministry as community liaison for faith and nonprofit groups, working with Montgomery County Council Executive, Isaiah Leggett.

The class includes four young adults, Andrews, Weaver and the Karakcheyevs. Five new Elders are 55 or older.

The four bishops also commissioned 16 men and women just beginning a three-year commitment to the conference and church to serve while they continue to learn and develop their faith.

David Hohne and William Jones were commissioned as Provisional Deacons. Hohne is a former mechanical engineer, who is called to healthcare chaplaincy and has spent several years working in hospitals, hospices and grief counseling.

The provisional members lacks the diversity of previous years of the class of ordinands, which includes 38 percent African Americans. Jalene Chase is the only provisional member who is African American. The only Asian is Ek Ching Hii, who serves the Cabin John American Chinese church. Their 14 classmates are all white.

Two young adults are in the class, Jennifer Karsner, 25, and Jennifer Fenner, 33.

Marianne Brown, who was serving as a student pastor in early 2007 when her husband, the Rev. Lynn Brown, died, was commissioned as a Probationary Elder.

Added to the clergy pool this year are also four women and three men who received their licenses and church appointments as local pastors at a separate service May 23.

One new local pastor is Ruth Dixon, a long time activist lay leader and elected delegate to General Conference. Beginning July 1, she will be serving Waters Memorial UMC in St. Leonard.

ORDAINED MAY 24

Elders
Sarah M. Andrews
John M. Blanchard, Jr.
Wayne W. Chung
Vicki M. Dotterer
Kimberly Hall
Richard David Hall
Rebecca K. Iannicelli
Sonia L. King
William Maisch
Wade A. Martin
Jacqueline Jones-Smith
Olexiy Karakcheyev
Viktoriya Karakcheyeva
Robert K. Schneider
Adam B. Snell
Kathy J. Spitzer
Timothy B. Warner
Kendrick D. Weaver

Deacon:
Janet L. Caswell

Provisional Elders:
Walter L. Beaudwin
Marianne Brown
Lory A. Cantin
Jalene Chase
John H. Dean
Sarah Dorrance
Jenny Fenner
David Graves
Ek Ching Hii
Jennifer Harris-Karsner
John Rudolph
Robert Snyder
Douglas Todak

Provisional Deacons:
Donald J. Hohne
William Jones, Jr.

2008 licensed local preachers:
Kathy L. Altman
Michael R. Beiber
Ray W. Dudley
Ruth A. Dixon
Paul F. Rose
Alicia L. Vanisko
Cathryn T. Vitek