As we have read on this website, in February this year the largest ever number of deacons were ordained at St Andrews Cathedral. As I looked around I began wondering why there were not more churches represented at the ordination.

It seems that so often when people decide to train for ordained ministry, the home churches have a farewell and send them off to Moore College with a gift as they begin their training. While at College students usually minister in at least two churches and often at the end of their time at each church, they are farewelled with a gift.

That is all very well, but if that is all that happens, it fails to realise the impact that the congregation has had on the life of the person being trained, and that the congregation has an investment and partnership in gospel proclamation through their effect on the student. This is an area in which we need to correct our thinking.

We shouldn't wave goodbye to people from our home churches as they begin training. It is we who God has used to raise up, disciple and train the student. The rest of their ministry, and all the lives touched by them, has been helped by us. We are in true partnership, so we need to keep the students in our prayers and support them as far as we can. I was speaking to a student last week who told me that their home church asked for the reading list, and the parish council members lent the books from that list which they had, and bought the remainder for the student. That is an example of great partnership; and yet so often home churches don't even know or are invited to, or attend the student's graduation or ordination.

It also changes the way we view our student ministers. It is easy to think we only have them for two years, and they get experience at ministry while they are with us. Shouldn't we rather see that these two years are an opportunity for us to help sharpen our ministry together, so that the student leaves better equipped to proclaim Christ having ministered alongside us? This means that in every student that ministers in our church, we have an investment in the gospel going to the world.

Moore College has its graduation and commencement for ministry ceremony at the Sydney Town Hall on March 20th. Wouldn't it be exciting to have churches that the graduates have been part of represented, sharing in spreading the gospel through these people, and rejoicing in their partnership in the development of the graduates?

Free tickets to the Moore College Graduation can be obtained by contacting Moore College on 9577 9999