The time has come for Elijah to be taken into heaven by a whirlwind.  So Elijah takes his successor, Elisha and go to Bethel, then to Jericho.   Twice, Elijah tries to leave Elisha behind, but Elisha vows to stay by Elijah’s side.  They then travel on to Jordan,  and again Elisha vows to remain with Elijah.  At the river, Elijah rolls up the mantle that hangs upon his neck and shoulders, and uses it to strike the water, and the water parts so that they can cross over the river on dry ground.

It is there, on the other side of the Jordan, that Elijah asks Elisha what one last thing he might do for the younger prophet before he is taken up.  Elisha asks to inherit a double share of Elijah’s spirit.

A double share of Elijah’s Spirit.  Eugene Peterson’s Message puts it this way: Elisha asks, “Your life repeated in my life.  I want to be a holy man just like you.”

Elijah responds “you have asked a hard thing.  Yet, if you see me as I am being taken from you, it will be granted you; if not, it will not.”

I think Elijah is telling Elisha, “this thing you have asked for, it’s not in my hands.   It’s in God’s.”

If God shows you how I am taken into God’s heaven, you will know that you are the holy one of God, as I have been.   If you do not see, you will know that you are not.

You see…Elijah wanted Elisha to know…God does the choosing.  That’s because the work, the purpose, the ministry…it is God’s and not Elijah’s.   God will choose who will carry on this holy work.

Elisha in fact does see Elijah ascend into heaven in the whirlwind, the fiery chariots and horsemen of God accompanying him in a divine escort.  Elisha tears his own clothing in a dramatic show of grief.

And when it is all over, he sees Elijah’s mantle lying on the ground.  It is the same one Elijah had used to strike the water.   And Elisha immediately knows what he must do.

He strolls over to the Jordan.  Rolls up the mantle as he had seen his predecessor do, and struck the water, saying, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?”

And the water parted.   The holy work of God would continue, now in a new holy one, chosen by God. 

And the company of prophets who had been watching from the other side of the Jordan knew, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.”   Of course, they had it only partially right.   The spirit rested upon Elisha.  But it was not Elijah’s spirit.  It was the same spirit that had rested upon Elijah but it was not Elijah’s spirit.   It was God’s.

In the United Methodist church, our itinerant system demonstrates the understanding that the holy work of our pastors and our people is not our own, but it is God’s.   The mission is God’s mission.  The ministry is God’s ministry.  The holy work is God’s holy work.   The spirit that enables us to do it is God’s, and God’s alone. 

When a United Methodist pastor leaves a church, usually a successor has already been named.   Just as Elisha had been anointed and prepared for succession well before Elijah was taken up into heaven. 

And when one leader takes his or her leave, another is in place immediately to carry on God’s work in that place, in that community, in that church.    And the United Methodist system demonstrates better than many, I believe, that the ministry does not belong to any one pastor.   The Holy work is no the Holy work of any one pastor.   But is God’s.  

The Bishop and the cabinet have a great responsibility to discern God’s will and to make themselves available to God’s own Spirit as they determine who is to be sent to a particular place of ministry.  I believe they have an understanding that their work is none other than God’s holy work as well. 

Sometimes when a pastor leaves, it feels a bit like a whirlwind.  There is always unfinished business.  There are always those who wonder how particular ministries will continue or how the new pastor will fill the roles left vacant by the preceding pastor.   But we must trust…the ministry is God’s ministry.  Not belonging to any one person.   For pastors are sent and serve for a season, and God remains for the duration of time.

And so it is, that it may appear as if Dr. Godbey’s has been taken away by a whirlwind to the basement.  But today, Rev. Adelia Hooley comes to pick up the mantle and carry on God’s work.  Not Dr. Godbey’s work.   Not her own work.  But God’s.

I invite Rev. Hooley to come forward to the altar, as we continue with our order of installation of her as a pastor of First United Methodist Church.   

I invite Joe Finley, chair of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, and Phyllis Ross, co-lay leader, and other members of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee now to come forward.