The Reverend Ray Wishart

Arnold Bush is a dynamic man, as we learned years ago when he was our Interim Rector at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church. When Fr. Arnold found out that I had been an EfM mentor at Trinity, Apalachicola he immediately began his campaign to get an EfM class started at Holy Nativity. I should say, rather, he began his campaign on me to start an EfM class. Many of us discovered that Father Arnold is not only dynamic but persuasive. Very persuasive. I once heard a woman in the parish complain to Zoe that Arnold was pressuring her to start and chair something, and Zoe said, “Tell him No, that’s what I do.” One of the many blessings of my life at Holy Nativity is that I did not tell Fr. Arnold NO about starting EfM there.

I’ve been an Education for Ministry mentor off and on for a quarter century now, and it has been a joy and blessing for me in many ways at several parishes. One of the very special blessings has been working with Ray Wishart since we started the first EfM class at Holy Nativity. I don’t remember how many years ago it was, but Ray was a member of my very first EfM class at HNEC. A few years into the four year program he realized that he had a vocation to be a mentor, and went to Sewanee for mentor training and certification. We have worked as mentors together ever since, most recently having three classes together, one on Monday evenings at St. Andrew’s Episcopal and two on Wednesdays at Holy Nativity. Ray is a very popular and much loved teacher at Mosley High School, and I understand why. He is a sheer joy to work with.

Sometime along into our EfM years together, Ray began to discern a call into ordained ministry, and I was one of undoubtedly many who encouraged him. He went through the discernment process with the rector, vestry, bishop, commission on ministry and standing committee of the diocese, and became a member of Bishop Duncan’s first School for Deacons. Tonight, Thursday, February 10, 2011, at the Annual Convention of the Diocese of the Central Gulf Coast, at St. James, Fairhope, Alabama, Ray Wishart will be ordained Deacon in The Episcopal Church. I could not be happier or prouder. I could not be more grateful either, because Ray asked me to be his presenter. Linda and I cannot be there because of my recent cardiac surgery, but that’s the only thing under the sun that could keep me away.

With all my heart, congratulations, blessings, and welcome, my brother, the Reverend Ray Wishart.

And thank you, Fr. Arnold.

Fr. Tom+