Installation Service at Grace UMC Venice

On the last Saturday of October 2022, we gathered for my official installation service at Grace UMC in Venice. After Hurricane Ian hit, I asked Bishop Carter if it should be postponed or cancelled. He encouraged me to move forward with it, as a time of regrouping and giving folks something hopeful to focus on in the district. I am so glad we moved forward with the event. It was a wonderful day of celebration with friends and family and clergy from around the district and the conference. 

Tribe kids hanging out before the service. 

The handbell choir performing right before the processional. 

 

The altar laid with all the signs and symbols of the office. 

As the host pastor, Daryl gave the welcome. 

Bishop Carter led us in a greeting and opening prayer 

The Installation and Consecration by Bishop Carter

Signs of the Office Presentations  - Our friend and former associate CJ Hill presenting me with the Bible. 

Presenting of the water for baptism by Lynn Ball, district congregational vitality specialist. 

Presenting of the communion chalice and paten by Roy Terry, pastor at Cornerstone Naples. Roy was one of my preaching mentors when I first started in ministry. 

My dear friend Christy presented me with the Book of Worship and the Hymnal - the ones we used in the service were Christmas presents to me from Grandma and Grandpa Keller when I was a teenager. 

Rick Blaney, our old Lay Leader from Tice UMC in Fort Myers, presented me with the towel and basin symbolizing servanthood. 

The former DS Rini Hernandez gave me the sign of leadership, a stole. 

The Book of Discipline was presented to me by Debbie Daley Salinger the pastor at Wesley Memorial UMC in Fort Myers and chair of the DCOM. 

And Tammie Isidore, the first Haitian woman ordained in our conference presented me with the globe symbolizing our mission in outreach. Tammie and I had the same candidacy mentor back in 1997. 

Preaching on "Picking Up the Pieces When We Don't Know What's Next" utilizing Isaiah 52:7-10, Philippians 2:5-11 and Matthew 14:22-36

Nancy Metz our district lay leader presenting the offering moment for Hurricane Ian relief

Picture afterwards with clergy friends and laity. With Bishop Carter. 

With Tribe friends - CJ and Amy Hill and Joey Landstedt. Grateful that Joey came and sang "It Is Well" for the service. 

With Daryl's associate Sarah Wise. She was a communion server. 

With Dr. Martyn Atkins (on loan from England) along with his wife Helen and our conference congregational vitality specialist Janet Earls. 

With Trish Warren our conference disaster recovery coordinator. 

These guys have been mentors and friends for years and serve as chairs of the District Operations Team (Roy) and the District Leadership Council (Chris). 

These three read Scripture in the worship service. Robert was our intern when Daryl and I served at Tice and Druid Hills and now serves in the district in Bradenton. Mike was in seminary with Daryl and our kids went to school together when we lived in Fruitland Park. He now pastors in the district in Port Charlotte. Kim and I were also candidates for ministry together and she pastors in the district in Bradenton. 

Me with district leaders - Lynn Ball our district congregational vitality specialist and Nancy our district lay leader. And in the second picture, me with our district admin, Sandy Voigt. 

Grateful to share the day with my partner in life and ministry, Daryl. 

Candids from the reception afterwards. These two are the pastors at First UMC Sarasota. Sam on the right was the pastor at Tice just before I arrived. 

Juan is the current pastor of Tice, here with his wife Gloria. 

Rick Blaney and his wife Jeanne became friends while we were serving at Tice and they are still there in lay leadership 

Debbie and Latricia rocking the blue dresses! 

With the musicians from Grace Venice - sisters! 

This clergy mom and daughter duo are so much fun. Patty went with Daryl and I to Israel years ago and Samantha serves in the district at Beach UMC, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian. 

Pictures outside the church with family who came for the event, as well as the tribe and my covenant sisters. 

A bunch of people brought hurricane supplies to the party as well to get distributed among the churches. 

This beautiful gift was from Grandmommy. Each rock has the name of a church on it in the district. This sits near my desk in the district office. 

And my covenant sisters came back to the house for a little bit to hang out before heading back north.