Nov 18, 2011 | Being a Minister, Community
My Grandmother Abee was a bustling kitchen helper. She could be everywhere at once and suddenly right where you didn’t expect her. One Thanksgiving, Nancy asked me to slice the ham. The ham was hot from the oven and smelling like brown sugar and pineapple, so...
Nov 3, 2011 | Being a Minister
Many of the female ministers I know have an “and” in their title. When I was the convener of women in ministry peer groups for Tennessee Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, I heard this story over and over again. I am a minister and . . . . I teach school . . . . I work...
Oct 26, 2011 | Being a Minister
I hung up the phone and tears ran down my cheeks. Soon I was sobbing. The person on the other end of the phone had rejected my gift. For years I have thought of my ministry as a wrapped gift that I offer freely. She had torn aside the paper and declared my gift...
Oct 11, 2011 | Being a Minister, Being the Church
My first role in the church was teaching Sunday School for four- and five-year-olds. I was a high school student and taught with an experienced teacher. As a young adult, I attended seminary and became minister of education for a church. Recently, I have come full...
Oct 5, 2011 | Encouraging Words
It took me a long time to decide to go ahead and pursue pastoral standing with the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). I grew up in a Baptist church, went to a Baptist seminary, and was ordained in a Baptist church. Yet after graduation from seminary I found very...
