A second short documentary on female Baptist pastors will be released this November.
“No. 2: Tonya,” produced in partnership by Baptist Women in Ministry and EthicsDaily.com, will be available to stream online for free via BWIM.info and EthicsDaily.com on Nov. 9.
Tonya Easterly Vickery, co-pastor of Cullowhee Baptist Church in Cullowhee, North Carolina, with her husband, Jeffrey, is the focus of this second film in the series.
“This newest film release by BWIM-EthicsDaily features funny stories, sweet stories, and hard stories from Tonya’s ministry journey and highlights her family’s commitment to and their vision for shared ministry and leadership,” says Pam Durso, executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry and a producer of the film.
The 20-minute film is structured around Tonya’s work within a co-pastoring model, and it features interviews with Tonya, Jeffrey, their two daughters, and four of the church’s members.
“A pastor friend once said to me, ‘Co-pastoring is impossible. It can’t be done. Someone has to be THE leader,’” says Durso. “My friend, Tonya Vickery, is living proof that co-pastoring can be done and done beautifully.” The Vickerys have co-pastored Cullowhee Baptist for 18 years.
“Theirs is a collaborative ministry,” adds Durso. “They share the pulpit. They make decisions as a team. And they have created a radically relational community at Cullowhee Baptist Church, where the priesthood of the believer is not simply a concept. It is the lived reality of their congregation.”
A release party will take place on the campus of Western Carolina University (Bardo Arts Center, Room 130) in Cullowhee, at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8. The film will go online the next day.
The party will include refreshments and a screening of the film, followed by a question-and-answer time with: the Vickery family; Durso; Mitch Randall, executive director at EthicsDaily and a producer of the film; and Cliff Vaughn, media producer at EthicsDaily.
The premiere party is free of charge and open to all.
“Tonya and Jeffery Vickery are beacons of light,” says Randall of EthicsDaily. “They demonstrate the value of shared ministry as the co-pastors of Cullowhee Baptist Church. They are loved and respected by their congregation, as they offer an excellent model for couples following their ministry callings. Their story reminds the church that God is calling more and more couples to live out their callings in unique and creative ways.”
A third film in the series will be released in 2020.
The first film in the series, “No. 1: Mary Alice,” featured Mary Alice Birdwhistell, senior pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Waco, Texas. It premiered in November 2018 and is available to watch for free online at https://vimeo.com/ethicsdaily/no1maryalice
BWIM and EthicsDaily.com envision the series as a means to:
- Highlight progress in shattering the stained-glass ceiling.
- Discuss where and why significant work remains to expand opportunities for female ministers.
- Provide churches and faith-based organizations with a new resource to advocate with and for women called to Christian ministry.
Online donations to support this ongoing project can be made via EthicsDaily.com or BWIM.info. Please include a note designating your contribution to “Women in Ministry Micro-Doc Series.”
Donations by check, with the same project designation included, can be mailed to EthicsDaily.com or BWIM:
EthicsDaily.com, P.O. Box 150506, Nashville, TN 37215-0506
Baptist Women in Ministry, P.O. Box 941294, Atlanta, GA 31141-1294