On Sunday, September 10th I began our formal recognition and celebration of the 25th anniversary of our Director of Faith Development, Leia Durland-Jones, beginning her ministry to and with this congregation.  Here are the words I said:

The people we’ve just honored are among the many ministers of this congregation.  When people ask me what I do I often say that I’m one of the ministers who serves here.  “How many ministers are there?” they’ll ask.  I tell them, “About 450.”  I love what the Quaker author and theologian Parker Palmer has said about his tradition’s lack of any ordained clergy.  “We didn’t abolish the clergy,” he has said, “we abolished the laity.”

The professional ministers, the ordained ministers, who have served this congregation have come and gone over the years.  In my field it’s said that long ministry is about 8 years.  Well … this congregation has had one minister who has served it for a quarter of a century. Let that sink in for a minute:  a quarter of a century of committed, continuous, consensus, creative, challenging, and consistent ministry.

25 years ago this month – this week, I believe – this minister came to serve this congregation, and we have been blessed ever since by her gifts, her skills, her tenacity, her courage, her compassion, her imagination, her mischievousness, her ability to see and bring out the best in people, and perhaps most of all, her spirit and her heart

I would ask that we now recognize, honor and celebrate the ministry, and the person, of our Director of Faith Development – Leia Durland-Jones.

Leia – We will be celebrating your ministry to and with this community in a variety of ways for the rest of this month, and next month as well.  I get to kick things off this week, because I understand that Balloon Sunday was one of the first, if not the first, Sunday you spent here.  I have for you two small tokens of our appreciation, gifts to you for the gifts you have given to us

I don’t really have them to give you, though.  One is still on its way, but it’s a wall plaque of the Goddess Hecate.  Among other things, Hecate is the guardian of crossroads, the places in the world, and in our lives, from which any path is possible

The other gift I have … almost.  It is this book – blank now, yet soon to be filled with the thoughts, memories, appreciations, blessings, and love of this congregation.  It will be in the Social Hall following this service, and every service for the rest of this month and into October, and it will be in the Office on the days in between Sundays.  I encourage you to sit down with it and to take your time.  Write as much as you want; say all that you have to say.  (And if you want, you can write something at home, print it out, and we’ll tape it into the book.

Leia, I have had the great good fortune of knowing and working with some very fine ordained ministers over the years.  I know of none who are more fully and truly a minister as you are (and many who don’t come anywhere close).  To be your friend is a pleasure; to be your colleague is an honor and a privilege.