So What Faith

Greg Smith

Preaching and Ordination Update #13 (#2079)

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I’m current seeking ordination in the United Church of Christ. And, I’ve been sharing updates as I progress through the discernment process that I hope will culminate in ordination.

My last update was about two months ago: My Ministry in the United Church of Christ – Ordination Update #12 (July 2022). In that post I shared parts of the third section of my ordination paper, which focuses on my experiences in the United Church of Christ and plans for ordained ministry.

Preaching

One element of my ministry today that will continue once ordained is preaching. In my last two ministry roles (as Interim Senior Pastor of two UCC congregations in Florida) I preached nearly every week. After relocating to Texas in 2015, I’ve worked outside of the context of local church ministry and preached very occasionally (excepting a four month stint of preaching weekly in late 2017 and early 2018).

In March 2023, I officially became a Member in Discernment in the United Church of Christ and I also decided to reenter the pulpit. My first such experience included guest preaching twice in March at West Fork Presbyterian Church.

I then opened myself to the possibility of guest preaching more frequently. To date this has happened exclusively in congregations that support the ministry of White Rock Center of Hope where I served as Executive Director. The following posts explore those experiences and also include videos of the sermons I preached.

Dr. Greg Smith (worship livestream, screenshot from August 27, 2023)

So What?

I’ve now preached six times in the six months since deciding to return to the pulpit.

In my current role at White Rock Center of Hope guest preaching in supporting congregations is an important part of my ministry. And, preaching on a monthly basis is sustainable alongside my many other responsibilities.

I’m thankful for these recent opportunities to share the Word. And, I look forward to sharing both Word and Sacrament once ordained.

All Updates

My next milestone is a meeting this Saturday, September 16 with the North Texas Area Committee on Ministry.

Previous updates consider how I came to seek ordination and specific activities as I’ve engaged in the discernment process as what is known as a Member in Discernment: