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Our church ordination service now includes all those members who wish to lay hands on the person being ordained -- the thought being that it's the church which ordains, not just those already ordained. (It wasn't always that way, of course.) The same is true for the San Antonio church where my nephew was ordained a few years back.

I know that members feel much more a part of the ordination process, more "knitted together" with the one being ordained, than they did when their entire involvement was raising a hand to vote to do it.

Yes Eric, your inference is correct "when everyone laid hands, each did so individually and spoke personal words of encouragement." I could have appriciated the opportunity to stand in a reception line much more. My arthritic knees do not tolerate kneeling for very long.