"Love That Chooses to Stay at The Table"
The induction of a new Rector is a service that at its heart is about answering a call once more. As with any calling one answers, it also means trusting God even if the path seem unclear. For St. Alban’s in Richmond, the induction of the Rev. Bill Mok as their new Rector was a response by both priest and congregation to trust and say ‘yes.’
The Service of Induction of the Rev. Mok took place Wednesday, October 29. Archbishop John Stephens presided and the Rev. Tellison Glover preached.
In his sermon Rev. Glover reflected on the moments in scripture when Jesus calls and instructs his closest followers. “If you listen closely to Jesus’ words in the gospel, everything revolves around love. He doesn’t say, ‘Be nice to one another,’ or ‘Tolerate each other.’ He says, love one another.”
The love to which Jesus calls his followers, “it’s about choosing, every day, to see one another as beloved of God, even when it’s inconvenient, even when our differences get in the way,” said Rev. Glover. An induction service “isn’t just about installing a priest, its about renewing a shared call to love one another in Christ.”
When Jesus’ followers answered his call to love, the dynamic between them changed. They became friends. The shift is significant because friends have a shared purpose. “That’s a big change. Servants follow instructions; friends share purpose,” said Rev. Glover.
Committing to that friendship creates space for trust, understanding and a shared sense of mission to grow.
Rev. Glover said though the path that got St. Alban’s to chosing a new rector was not always an easy one, it shows the community’s answer to and trust in God’s call to them. “And yet here you both are…because, somehow, God has chosen you for each other.“
“Now, God is inviting you both into a new kind of trust- trusting each other. And that kind of trust isn’t automatic. It’s something you grow into. It’s built meal by meal, conversation by conversation, prayer by prayer. And that kind of trust, when tended well, becomes the ground where love takes root.”
“It’s the love that chooses to stay at the table, even when the conversation is hard. It’s the love that makes room for grace, and begins again, day after day.”
“It will not always be easy. But it will be worth it. And if you do, the promise of Jesus will come true in you: ‘That my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.’
The service continued with the signing of the Oaths and Subscriptions. Archbishop Stephens then presented Fr. Mok with his new licence. The regaional dean, the Rev. Marnie Peterson welcomed Fr. Mok to the deanery. The Ven. Luisito Enganan, Archdeacon of Fraser, shared a few words welcoming the new rector to the archdeaconry.
The service continued with the presentation of the symbols of ministry and the eucharist.
After the service the parish community gathered for celebratory fellowship and the requisite cake. During the post-service celebration, parishioners spoke expressing their joy at being able to welcome a new rector.
View photos from the service here.
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Photo: A chalice and paten are presented to Fr. Bill Mok as a symbol of his ministry.