3/16/17- Once again, I can only marvel at what a sense of humor and irony God has! Last year at the same time that the Alabama West Florida Conference Board of Ministry notified me that I was discontinued from provisional status as a deacon, the UMC Communications’ magazine, The Interpreter, featured an article in which Titus 2 was mentioned for the Deacon Emerging Ministry Grant that had been awarded in the summer of 2015. I appealed the decision last year to the Annual Conference Clergy Session in June and was allowed to continue over the objection of the Board of Ministry. This year, on the heels of once again being notified by the Board of Ministry that I have again been discontinued from provisional status as a deacon, what should appear but a letter to the editor in the Mar/ April edition of the Interpreter written by me regarding the previous edition of The Interpreter on the topic of “Body, Soul, and Spirit.” I may not be able to convince the Board to allow me to be ordained, but somehow God seems to give attention to the ministry of Titus 2 and my role in teaching/discipling ministry in The UMC! Discontinuing me from pursuit of ordination as a deacon will not stop my activities in ministry.