Girl Power

When God first began to call me into ministry 19 years ago, I had never met an ordained woman. I knew many strong women, and women leaders in the church, the community and in my own family, but I had never met a woman pastor. The first woman minister I knew was an Episcopalian priest I met in college--Mother Mary--and I remember being in awe of the way she preached and led worship with grace and tender care. And I am very grateful for Brother Don Eubanks who planted the seed in my heart to become a pastor, because he first saw in me what I couldn’t yet see in myself.

Tomorrow my long journey toward ordination will be complete. And it just so happens that this year is also the 50th Anniversary of Full Clergy Rights for Women in the United Methodist Church. Last night we had a wonderful clergywomen’s celebration to honor this milestone. We gathered at dinner and I got to sit with some of my favorite clergywomen—my mentor, Mary Kraus, and my dear friend from seminary Amy-Ellen Duke. Mary, who was the first woman to be ordained in the Minnesota Annual Conference told us to look around at the crowded room; she told us that when she first came to the Baltimore Washington Conference in the early 1970’s the clergywomen’s gathering was just a few women, gathered in the living room of Susan Morrison (who is now the senior Bishop in our denomination).

After dinner, Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon of the a capella group Sweet Honey and the Rock began the evening storytelling and preaching and singing. Her voice is so epherial—I felt like I was transported. Then all the clergywomen processed into the ballroom by ordination classes. I followed all the women who have gone before me to blaze the trail. Even though I am the first woman to have served at Bethesda, and now the first woman to serve at Woodside, I know that I am not the first woman to have been the first, and there is great comfort in that.

And I also have great joy knowing that I will not be the last. After a service filled with heartfelt singing, reading of scripture, testimony, dancing, and a fun slide show showing the diversity of women in ministry, all clergywomen were invited onto the stage. There was a sea of women—white, black, Asian, some carrying infants, some walking with assistance. And we invited any other women who felt a call to ministry to come forward. Rev. Vicki Starnes walked forward with her teenage daughter, Hannah, both of them in tears. I wondered if Nora might follow in this path, too; if God has put a call to ordained ministry on her life? I promise not to pressure her to go this way because it is not an easy road. But ministry is a privilege, and there is a wonderful sisterhood of other clergywomen to provide support and encouragement, to laugh and cry and sing together.