PHOTO: Jason Stonehouse
A delegation of Episcopalians from the Diocese of Vermont, and their bishop, Thomas Ely, joined the congregation at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul in Boston for the ordination service there on June 25. Newly ordained (pictured, from left, with Bishop M. Thomas Shaw, SSJE and Bishop Ely) are: The Rev. Lynn Campbell (transitional deacon), The Rev. Suzanne Wade (transitional deacon), The Rev. Daniel Horgan (deacon), The Rev. Thomas Mousin (priest, for the Diocese of Vermont) and The Rev. Brent Was (priest).
"I have no doubt that each of them will serve God, the church and God's mission in the world well and faithfully, but let's not leave it up to them alone to make sure that happens," Ely said in his sermon, throughout which he repeated the refrain, "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice."
"What if rejoicing in the Lord is really what it's all about?" he asked. "What if that is what today is all about? What the ordination of these men and women is really all about? What our Baptism is really all about? What our life in Christ is really all about? What difference would that orientation make, in our lives, in our church, in the world? I think it would make a huge difference, and so I call upon all of us, especially Tom and Brent, Daniel, Suzanne and Lynn to help make it so."