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ChIME Ordained 16 interfaith Ministers on Sunday, June 13th. Over 300 guests and 30 Ministers and graduates were on hand for the hands on blessing. Oscar Mokeme of the Museum of African Culture gave the Benediction. >>
Ordination Ceremony
June 13, 2010
Abbot's Welcome
Dearly beloved,
I offer my heart-felt welcome. We meet (for our 7 th Ordination) to celebrate our 2010 graduates, about to be ordained as new Interfaith Ministers. Chime is an Interfaith school; we enthusiastically welcome people of all faith traditions – as well as people with no identified religion - and native and indigenous peoples, their wisdom, healing, and enlivening spiritual practices.
ChIME's first year is the Way of Contemplation - when students first are asked to look deeply into their own souls so their inner pastoral authority is grounded in self-awareness.
ChIME's second year is the Way of Action when students learn the skills of ministry, which include knowledge of the consequences of their actions to provide loving spiritual care.
With the Gulf Oil spill we humans have cut an artery of our mother earth's body, and she is bleeding – hemorrhaging – spilling her blood.
To me, this tragedy screams out the need to be awake and aware – to contemplate before we act.
As we honor our graduates and their accomplishments today, may we all contemplate consequences before we act, so that we offer a hurting world our loving compassion with both awareness and skill.
Chaplaincy Institute of Maine
The Chaplaincy Institute of Maine is an Interfaith wisdom school and open community committed to transformation of the self and planet earth through education, ordination, support, celebration and service. ChIME will not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, marital status, beliefs, age, national origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability. ChIME is a non-profit, Interfaith seminary governed by a Board of Trustees.