A Journal for United Methodist Clergywomen

A Journal for United Methodist Clergywomen
EDITORIAL CIRCLE
Susan Beehler
Marion Jackson
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Rosanne Johnson
DESIGN
Lisa Moore
COVER ILLUSTRATION
Chris Suerdieck
is published periodically by the Section of Elders and Local
Wellsprings:
A]ournal for • Pastors, Division of Ordained Ministry, General Board of Higher
Education and Ministry of the United Methodist Church, P.O.
United Methodist Clergywomen
Box 340007, Nashville, TN 3 7203-0007
POSTMASTER: • Send address changes
to Wellsprings, P.O. Box 340007,
Nashville, TN 37203-0007
1
nvitation
ou are invited to create a journal of clergywomen. This journal is
forum for our collective experience and emerging stories as
women in ministry. Our hope is to:
____,'5- a
• make connections with other clergywomen;
• exchange our imaginings, knowledge, and ideas;
• call forth the creative spirit that exists in each clergywoman;
• nurture creativity through worship, music, visual arts,
dreams and dance;
• share our pain and anger;
• dance our joys and laughter;
• speak grace and compassion;
• seek authentic expressions of spirituality and
celebrate our diverse experiences of the divine;
• reclaim the essence of the gospel as revealed in the life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ;
• provide for inclusiveness and affirm our diversity;
• advocate for women and all of creation;
• engender dreams, transformations, and a vision of
wholeness in the church.
1
We proclaim with Bishop Leontine Kelly, "Wellsprings of
hope--it may well be the women of The United Methodist
Church." This journal is dedicated to that hope.
~
WINTER 2002. VOL . 10 NO . 1
"Remembering"
the journal guide
THE INVITATION
1
THE EDITORIAL CIRCLE
4
spinning the sacred yarn
\;l
A L I TA N Y 0 F R EM EM 8 RA N CE Cynthia Harvey
7
0
gathering the clouds of witnesses
T ELL M E A ST 0 RY Marie Palmer Williams
FAMILY MEMORIES Jenny Lannom
2
10
13
~
connections
NEW MODELS FOR MINISTRY
Parish Nursing: A Ministry of Love
and Who Iistic Health Nancy Jo Johnson
15
mists-margins-meditations
REMEMBER I NG THE DI AS PORA Connie Jackson
QUESTIONS .FOR RETREAT AND REFLECTION
18
22
actions/ref Iect ions
REMEMBERING THE CONSULTATION
A Sabbath Along the Path Carolyn Bohler
24
Tending Cycles of Sabbath Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore
Sabbath Rhythm Bonnie Brann
Mama Cindy Beverly Errickson
26
36
38
the creating spirit
A LI MER IC K Annette Sorensen
23
H 0 LY S0 NG Susan Beehler
40
B L ESS ED Sara Lee Hinnant
44
high I ights
NEWS/ANNOUNCEMENTS
))
46
Clergywomen's Retention Study
Historically Black College
Georgia Harkness Scholars
Quarterly Review
A Shared Journey
Opinions
46
46
46
46
47
47
On The Record
48
Jurisdictional Clergywomen's Consultation
48
3
~
editorial
c ire Ie
Remember Well the Days
4
On July 19th my mom celebrated her 95th birthday; so I decided it
was time to throw her a party. Now I knew that she might look like a
deer in the headlights during this activity, but I believe when a person
hits 9 5, something special should happen whether they realize it or
not! As I thought about the guest list, I realized that I needed a grand
party, one that could celebrate these days of elder care and honor
mom for the years she has spent in this world. I decided to have a big
blowout. I invited Mom's three long time friends - Myrtle, Beulah and
Edna who I affectionately call the "Valley Girls" and all the friends
who have shared my mom and our story these many years. It was an
eclectic group that included my aunty and cousin from California, the
neighbors, University ofTexas music department colleagues, the
counseling support group women, an ecumenical mix of church
folks, women from Hacienda Springs, singers who have been in our
musicals, spouses, kids, and even a couple of old, old high school
buds. And in the midst of them all, there was mom - the quintessential guest of honor, greeting folks like she knew who they were, opening cards and packages, even blowing out all the birthday cake candles
in one breath! She was making memories out of memory and in spite
of memory loss enjoying the memory of the moment.
It will take memories to sustain my spirit in the midst of days
without memory. I keep the birthday cards all tied up in a little bundle on the table near her. We get them out and recall the party, some
days more vividly than others. But they are a touchstone that we had a
party, and we were together with friends and memories celebrating
9 S years of living and being. This Wellsprings issue is a similar touchstone, offering memories of a celebration of clergywomen who gathered to be in memory together and to gather new memories for the
journey. Remember well the days.
Susan Beehler
Baltimore Washington Conference
[See Holy Song on page 40]
Sweet Memories
I remember the nights Soon Hwa, my house mate, and I would sit
and watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy followed by the news on the
Korean channel. She learned idiomatic English by watching the
American shows; unfortunately, I picked up no Korean by watching
the news. I remember pots of rice, tofu, kim chi and bean curd.
Sometimes we lived in the house alone; some semesters we had other
house mates. All of us trying to get through the rigors of graduate
school.
I remember Bernice - a friend since kindergarten. After playing
we would walk each other home. First I would walk her home, then
she would ask her mother for permission to walk me half way. Of
course, she walked all the way and then I would ask permission to
walk her half way. Back and forth we would go until a signal reminded all the kids in Montclair to head home - the street lights came on.
I remember Barbara, an AME minister who took me under her
wing when I began serving in Atlantic City. She explained that even
though my map showed the ocean as being on the east, in Atlantic
City that was south; north was east, west was north and south was
west. She carefully explained how the numbers got bigger when you
went "down beach" and smaller traveling uptown. Arkansas Avenue
was not pronounced like the state name but Ar-Kansas. At the foot of
Ar-Kansas Avenue was the famous "Chicken Bone Beach." I learned a
lot from Barbara.
5
I remember Penny with whom I shared cancer stories; Joy my
floor mate at Princeton Theological Seminary; and Pat, the fifth
woman in three years sent to seminary from First Baptist Church in
Montclair.
All of them, Soon Hwa, Bernice, Barbara, Penny, Joy and Pat are
now part of my memory. Their earthly tent discarded, they live in
spirit in my heart and thoughts.
Remembering is a crucial part of life. Remember who birthed
you. Remember your God. Remember your baptism. The pages herewith are filled with remembrances : the consultation, our youth, the
neighbor, family members. Enjoy this fall/winter issue. May it bring
to mind your own sweet memories.
Marion Jackson
Greater New Jersey Conference
Send all editorial circle correspondence to:
Wellsprings
Division of Ordained Ministry
Section of Elders and Local Pastors
P.O. Box 340007
Nashville, TN 37203-0007
[email protected]
Wellsprings is sent free to every United Methodist clergywoman.
For all others, subscriptions may be purchased at a cost of $7 .00 for two issues.
Checks should be made payable to the Division of Ordained Ministry, U.M.C., and sent to:
6
Wellsprings
Division of Ordained Ministry
P.O. Box 340007
Nashville, TN 37203-0007
(f)
D
:J
:J
:J
OU
r-+
:::;(1)
(f)
Q.)
litany
of remembrance
a
I remember . . .
. . .my father's better-than-anybody's French toast.
... waking up on a cool spring morning to the smell of honeysuckle
growing outside my opened window.
. .. running away from home to my grandmother's house (across the
street) carrying my 60's hot pink psychedelic suitcase. She would harbor this fugitive in closets and under the bed, with a wink in her eye,
when my parents came looking for me .
. . .waiting to hear the results of a student election in high school.
. . .leaving for college with everything I owned stuffed into my blue
Toyota Corolla, my waving parents growing smaller and smaller as I
drove away.
... the excitement of going to work at my first job out of college .
. . .walking down the aisle with my soul mate waiting for me at the
other end .
. . .the warmth of my newborn daughter as I held her close.
.. .the weight of the bishop's hands on my head at my ordination.
My remembrances are a litany of my life, my faith journey, filled with
the people I love and the experiences that shaped who I am.
I can taste the mouth-watering French toast. I can smell the honeysuckle; feel the butterflies in my stomach as I sit in my last class at Big
0
~
(1)
0...
'<
Q.)
~
:J
7
~
8
~
Spring High School waiting to hear the announcement of the class election.
I get anxious all over again at the thought of starting college or getting married. I can feel the tenderness of my Elizabeth's little fingers as
she wraps them around mine. I can hear and feel those awesome words
of Bishop Alfred Norris, "Cynthia Fierro Harvey. take authority as an
elder of the Church to preach the Word of God, and to administer the
Holy Sacraments."
Other not-so-pleasant memories shaped me as well: the phone call
announcing the death of one I loved, sitting in the doctor's office with a
friend waiting for a diagnosis, learning a precious friend has returned to
a life of drugs and alcohol. These merge into the verses of my life litany.
Remembering is an important essential of our faith, a wonderful gift
from God. The New Testament speaks of remembering over 5 6 times.
Remembering is what connects us to one another as we are connected to
our past. In an instant we can be a kid getting into the dental chair for
the first time, or that college grad ready to conquer the world.
Remembering is also practical. What would happen if you did not
remember what the red light meant at the intersection? Remembering is
practical, but for some memory fails . The debilitating disease of
Alzheimer's leaves many with the inability to remember. My father is in
the beginning stages of this dreaded disease and each time I visit him, I
am joyful that he can still remember who I am, knowing the day is near
when he will not remember my name or face.
We remember that we might not forget. One of my most powerful
experiences was a visit to the Children's Holocaust Memorial in Israel.
The names of the children killed during the Holocaust are read in a
rhythmic cadence as four burning candles are reflected in the octagonal
room lined with mirrors. The burning candles create 1.5 million points
of light, floating in a room of vast darkness to commemorate the lives of
the children who perished during the Holocaust. I will not forget the
overwhelming feeling as my group exited the memorial. In total silence,
tears flowing down our cheeks, the memory of those children lingered.
As I revisit that memory now, few words can describe the experience.
We build memorials that we might not forget. Soon a memorial will
be erected at Ground Zero in New York City that we might never forget
those whose lives were lost on September 11.
Many of us have personal memorials. I have an office filled with
mementos of people and places important to me. Pictures of family and
friends, gifts made by children, special gifts given at significant points
in my ministry - all serve as reminders of experiences events and people I do not want to forget. Each represents a story: each is a memorial
that I might not forget.
Remember when God said to Noah, "Whenever you see a rainbow,
remember my promise that I will never destroy the earth by water
again."
When Abraham built an altar at Shechem, the place where God
spoke to him, the promise and the altar were signs of remembrance,
symbols that they might not forget the God who had brought them
thus far.
Remembering was important in biblical times: Peter remembered
what Jesus told him would happen before the cock crowed twice. Paul
prays, "I thank my God for every remembrance of you." Jesus' own
words admonish "Do this in remembrance of me."
As clergywomen our litany of remembrance is just beginning; our
memorial building has just begun. While the litany may not be long or
the memorials numerous, they are indeed rich and filled with God's
grace. Many women have shaped me in ministry - some clergywomen,
some family members, some children. My own daughter continues to
shape me in powerful ways as she matures and creates her own litany of
remembrance.
Remembering is that which calls us to be one, to be a community
It connects us to God, to one another, and to the mission of Christ.
Remember the words of Paul, "The cup of blessing that we bless, is it
not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a
sharing of the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are
many are one body. for we all partake of the one bread." ' Corinthians
10: 16-17 (NRSV) Remembering in community shapes us as individuals
and remembering as individuals shapes us as a community We are
made one through our remembrances.
Remembering is an important measure of our faith. Remembrances
form the litany of our lives as well as the litany of our faith journey. So,
go build a few memorials and begin to write your own litany of
remembrance.
Cynthia Harvey
South Central Texas Conference
9
~
Cf)
Q)
Cf)
Cf)
Q)
c
-+-'
4-
0
Cf)
-0
::J
0
u
Q)
..c
-+-'
tell me a
STORY
bD
c
1..-
Q)
..c
ro
bD
10
~
When my children were young, one of our bedtime rituals was storytelling. Most of the time this meant my husband or I would read them
a favorite story; but sometimes they would say, "Don't read to us. Tell
us a story of when you were little." Then we would have to reach back
in the files of our memories and pull out the tale of some great
adventure or some favorite trip, telling it with complete details of
who was involved, exactly what happened, and if there were consequences.
Sometimes the stories we told would have only one character, the
teller; but often they involved a brother or sister, our parents, or even
our entire family. Sometimes before I realized it, I would be telling my
children a story I really didn't want them to hear because I had done
something I shouldn't have or something that was dangerous. Like the
time I was messing with my older brother's pet alligator; it got out
and bit me when I was trying to get it back in its tub! The children
just loved those stories!!
I have wondered why hearing those stories is so imponant to my
children, and why I feel so cheated now because I can't hear my parent's stories. I believe it's because of a deep yearning within them to
know who their parents are. As they hear my story, it helps them
understand more of who I am. Hearing what happened to me as a
child helps them understand why I do things I do and have the attitudes I have. They understand why I am so adamant about having
things a certain way in our family life.
Secondly, as their understanding deepens about who I am and
where I come from, it increases about who they are and the factors
that have shaped their lives. They begin to understand the generationto-generation idea. Then they can make better decisions about their
own lives and futures . Thirdly, as they live more of their own lives and
make decisions about their own futures, they can see and sometimes
foresee the changes they need to make to move forward or to accomplish goals.
As my daughter moved through her senior year in college, she
made decisions about what she would do after graduation. She shared
some of those plans with me. Since she was in seventh grade she has
said God has called her to ministry; and she has done much to cultivate her gifts.
During the past two years she has been journeying through the
candidacy process and decided to go to seminary. However, late last
fall she told me she wasn't sure she would return to school. She
thought maybe she would just work a year and then see.
I was confused and brokenhearted. Several days later, in a long letter I shared my thoughts and feelings, including some concerns that
she might be dealing with a change in belief about women in ministry.
In the answer she returned, Sarah told me how much my journey
has affected her throughout her life. "Mom" , she said. "How can I
know you and your ministry and think that? If anything, I am even
more convinced than ever that God does call women into ministry
and that God is calling me into ordained ministry."
She is going to seminary, and I am absolutely certain that listening
to my story and the stories of other friends in ministry affected her
decision.
At the center of our faith are sacraments of remembering: recalling what Christ has done for us in giving of himself, and that God has
marked us and called us to be a part of the family. As we share in these
sacraments our faith is formed, enlivened, enriched. We learn who we
are, who we are called to be, and how we become who we are called
to be.
11
As we remember, we learn who we are as women in ministry. As
we remember and retell the stories of those who have gone before us
in the faith and in ministry, we are strengthened. Learning who they
are who have gone before us enhances our awareness of what we are
called to do and we learn how to accomplish what God is calling us to
do.
Tell me, woman, the story of when God called you into ministry. I
have a deep yearning to know who you are.
Marie Palmer Williams
Monroe District Superintendent
Louisiana Conference
12
family
memories
Molly Kent is my mother's sister. Her home has become the repository
of generations of family memories. Aunt Beth's desk, photos and stories of great grandparents and other relatives are available for any nostalgically minded family members. My wedding dress still "lives" in
her attic! Her ability to remember stories about not only her
Pennsylvania childhood but that of her nieces and nephews reconnects me to my larger story. Her willingness to tell and retell stories
and memories taught me the importance of family and helped me
form a sense of identity in the larger family picture. I always felt special in her home.
It was around her table - tables as the family grew - that my
extended family gathered for special holiday meals and family celebrations. One Christmas tradition that Aunt Molly observed was making
fudge . It was one of the first things I looked for as I entered her
house! That wonderful chocolate dessert provided a sense of comfort
for me, not only because it was so delicious and smelled good, but
because it represented a sense of constancy. I could always count on it
being part of the celebration and was never disappointed. I am grateful to Aunt Molly for having the spirit of re-connection and for sharing that spirit with the family.
13
Molly's Easy Chocolate Fudge
2 cups sugar
l/2 cup canned (evaporated) milk
3 T. white Karo syrup
1 T. stick margarine
Combine the above ingredients and bring to a boil. Boil until the mixture forms a soft ball in water. Remove from the stove, add, in this
order, and blend:
2
3
4
1
T. cocoa
T. peanut butter
T. marshmallow creme
t. vanilla
Blend well and pour into a buttered dish. Let set and cut into
squares.
Jenny T. Lannom
Texas Annual Conference
Recipe by Molly Kent, a beloved aunt and United Methodist laywoman from First United Methodist Church, Houston.
14
~
NEW MODELS FOR MINISTRY
Parish Nursing:
a
and
ministry of love
who Iistic health
"Nancy, why don't you consider being a parish nurse?" This question
asked of me by a pastor several years ago was the first time I had
heard of a parish nurse ministry. Personally, it also was a perfect time
for me. I had been praying for guidance regarding how the Lord now
wanted me to serve. I now know that the timing of this question was
a God-incidence more than a coincidence.
Right after that experience, I read an article advertising a parish
nurse class that was to be held at a local seminary. What does a parish
nurse do? What is required to become a parish nurse? These are questions that I asked, and now are often asked of me.
As a nurse educator, I have taught nursing in a variety of academic
settings, including serving as a short-term missionary nurse educator
in Lahore, Pakistan. It always frustrated me that I could not offer any
type of spiritual options for my patients. I often prayed for my
patients, but not with them, unless of course, they specifically asked.
My teaching has always been based on the concept that our bodies are an integrated unit; that is, what happens to one part of the
body affects all parts of the body. When I saw that article describing
parish nursing as a ministry based on the concept of wholistic health,
15
16
~
that is ministering to one's body, mind and soul, .I felt certain that this
was the work I had been praying and looking for. This has proven to
be so.
Originating in the early church tradition that provided health
care, the ministry of parish nursing is based on Luke's gospel (9: 2)
which states . .. "and he (Jesus), sent them to preach the Kingdom of
God, and to heal the sick." Both the Old and New Testaments are filled
with examples of divine healing. For example, Ps. 30 :2 "O Lord my
God, I cried to you for help, and you healed me;" and again in Luke
6: 18 .. . "They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured."
This last verse is an excellent example of the concept of the integration of the physical, mental and spiritual needs of our bodies.
Therefore, a spiritually mature registered nurse, preferably one
with a B.S. degree, whose ministry is based on promoting wellness,
and who is committed to wholistic healing ministries is a vital addition to a church. It is highly recommended that she attend a parish
nursing class.
Studies have shown that there is a connection between one's religious beliefs and one's health. L.J. Wylie, in his book Parish Nursing, The
Developing Practice, states, " . .. the entire community of faith globally has
no more important mission than health and healing." (p. 11)
Parish nurses work in a church setting, performing many types of
duties for a congregation. Besides facilitating healing services, these
duties include health education and counseling, coordinating and
teaching health volunteers, visiting private homes, nursing homes or
hospitals, explaining community resources, and clarifying the close
relationship between faith and health. They do not perform hands-on
nursing care, but they can assess and recommend health care options.
I discovered a great need for classes and support groups on a variety of subjects, as well as individual, confidential counseling for
members of the staff, and the congregation. A ministry for all ages,
parish nursing is also a ministry of walking beside a person or family
following the precepts of Christ's wholistic ministry
I found that even though I knew God had called me and was
guiding me, many churches were slow to grasp the concept of this
specialized ministry. It took three years before I got a position as a
parish nurse. During that time I was able to explain this ministry to
many churches, which helped to increase my faith and my resolve to
answer my call. The position I accepted proved to be more fulfilling
that I could have imagined, for me, for the staff, and for the congregation. It was a perfect match. But then, that is what being obedient to
our Lord's call is all about.
Rev. Nancy Jo Johnson is an ordained deacon in the UMC, a nurse
educator, and a parish nurse. She lives in Newmarket, NH, where she
is a parish nurse consultant and presents various programs on wholistic health.
Nancy Jo Johnson
North Central Minnesota Conference
17
Cf)
c
0
+-'
m
+-'
uCl)
E
I
Cf)
c
b.O
1.-
m
E
rem em beri ng
I
Cf)
the DIASPORA
+-'
Cf)
E
Diaspora: the breaking up and scattering of a people.
18
~
When I returned to my home church, Newman Memorial United
Methodist Church, Brooklyn, New York, after retiring, I learned that
no special historical events resulting from the Diaspora of Africans in
America were celebrated or highlighted. I felt strongly that a church,
whose congregants were people of African decent and from various
parts of the world, should do something special for Black History
Month. Four years ago I developed a program called, "Remembering
the Diaspora," held usually on the second Sunday in February.
In this program we strive to tell the stories of our ancestors, using
their music and, wherever possible, their words, atmosphere, their
food, and clothing. It's a way of remembering them and honoring
their lives. The service lasts about two hours and attendance at these
services has increased steadily each year.
The Setting
In 2002 we used a pre-civil war camp meeting setting. We began
with establishing the climate for a scenario. We chose a meeting. In
reality, the slave owners and their overseers strictly governed camp
meetings, or any meetings of slaves. Their presence was mandatory.
For our purposes, we needed a service where the slaves felt free to
worship as they please, without the slave owners or overseers around.
So we produced a dramatization that took the slave owners away from
the plantation, giving the slaves a rare opportunity to be themselves
among their families and fellow-sufferers.
The time of the story varies; we chose 1850. The cast included a
preacher, an exhorter, a drummer, and singers and dancers. A description of the story was printed in the church bulletin and provided historical background and social understandings. For our story, the slave
owners are away attending a meeting with insurance company representatives in Atlanta. Their absence provides the slaves and their families the time for unguarded praise and worship, commiseration,
thanksgiving, and celebration. The sanctuary became the field where
the slaves were gathered; slave owners were nowhere in sight, and
overseers looked the other way.
The services began with the clergy and choir marching in to
"Kum Ba Yah." This song is available in a variety of arrangements. We
marched, accompanied by the fabulous beats of an African drummer.
The components of the evening were singing/ drumming, preaching,
dancing, exhorting. We used Negro spirituals for much of the music.
The Exhortation
After the pastor and choir have been seated, as worship leader I
exhort, greeting the gathered with words that convey encouragement.
I explain that although they are enslaved, they are human beings of
worth. The exhortation normally declares how they, too, are made in
the image of God. Paul's declaration about slaves being obedient is
contrasted to Jesus' ministry of setting the captives free.
During the service the leader, or anyone, may mention other historical points or related information. For example I explained that in
many states, it was against the law for slaves to learn to read and
write. I offered examples of the work of famous and not so famous
slaves who taught themselves to read. The exhortation is used to
inspire, stir up, encourage and provoke thought, being mindful not to
overload the listeners with too many facts. After all, this is a celebration. Music and singing are used periodically throughout the services.
The exhortation is a crucial portion of remembering the
Diaspora. As the exhorter, I connect statements with traditional songs.
For example I may mention a personal experience or struggle and
segue into a song relating to that experience. I mention my talks with
19
God where I asked, "Lord, how come me here"?
These words are found in a spiritual entitled, "The Slave's Lament." In
it a slave woman pours out her heart to God. She tells God there's "so
much evil here." .. . They "took my chillun away" .. .I wish I never was born:' Like
Jesus ' cry, "My God, my God, why h.ave you forsaken me"? the woman asks,
"Lord, how come me here"? This lament may be followed with the song,
"I'm So Glad Trouble Don't Last Always;' because the slave was resilient and
knew he/ she had to "keep on keeping on." They lived as though they knew
slavery would end eventually.
At different times in the service, other presentations are introduced. To bring up a singer, for example, the leader might say, "We
have Miss Clarissa here. She sure can sing pretty. Please give us a
song." To introduce the female drummer, I reminded the congregation
of the importance of the drum in the history of people of African
descent even into slavery. Slaves often used resources to improvise for
things lost and denied them.
Using local talent is an excellent way to bring the community
together over a common concern. Choirs, singers, soloists, preachers
all find this setting bringing new insights to an old story. The soloists
may choose Negro Spirituals or modern gospel selections; each is
beneficial. We include an offering; which for us is a way to support
justice issues within the national church or in the local community.
We also allow time for recognizing visitors from other plantations
and, if time permits, talent in the audience.
20
~
The Music
Some of the spirituals we used include: "Lord, I Want to Be a Christian."
For that song, we emphasized the words, "in my heart" knowing the
slave understood that being a Christian was a matter of the heart, not
just the mouth. The slave owner said he was a Christian, but he owned
and often mistreated slaves. Other appropriate spirituals : "You Got a
Robe," "Talk About a Chile That Do Love Jesus," "Is There Anybody Here Who Love My
Jesus;' "God's Gonna Set This World on Fire; "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless
Child," "So Glad I'm Here in Jesus' Name," "City Called Heaven;' "Give Me Jesus,"
"Steal Away;· "Walk Together Children," "Balm in Gilead," and "O Freedom."
Spirituals and modern social justice songs from existing groups like
Sweet Honey in the Rock provide our children with an authentic connector to our ancestors.
Movies, popular literature, and even history books may have pre-
sented a negative picture of slaves, however, slaves were not "childlike,
docile". If we really listen to their spirituals, we see that the enslaved
were fully aware of their dire circumstances. They were astute judges
of their oppressors and protested as best they could. They said God
was "writin' all the time" and that "He sees all you do and hears all you say.'' They
warned, "You better min' what you talk and min' what you talk.in' about." They saw
freedom as a possibility and rhetorically asked, "Didn't my Lord deliver
Daniel?" and answered "Then why not everyman?" Slave songs warned that
"God's gonna move this wicked race, and build him up a nation that shall obey."
Remembering and Honoring Ancestors
Each year in our Diaspora program, we strive to tell the stories of
our ancestors through their music and, as much as possible, their
words. It is our way of remembering and honoring them. If we don't
remember them, who will? In ignoring them, are we not saying their
lives are without worth?
We ended our service marching to the drums and singing, "Walk
Together Children." After the service we feasted on foods from the
Diaspora. In our congregation we are blessed to have Africans from
Africa, North and South America and the Caribbean who help us with
every aspect of our celebrations. May our attention to this incredible
historical story of faith and hope encourage celebrations of praise and
thanksgiving to the "God of our weary years" and "keep us forever in the path, we
pray."
Connie Jackson
New York Conference
21
questions for
retreat
and reflection
22
~
1. What important stories do you remember from your childhood?
How have those stories influenced your life?
2. What is the prominent story in the corporate memory of your culture or family of origin? How and where does it sit within your personal story?
3. What do you want people to remember about you?
4. Consider the possible different remembrances of the same event
between two or more.
Adam vs. Eve
Sarah vs. Abraham
Tamar vs. Judah
Sarah vs. Hagar
The crucifixion through the eyes of the women vs the male disciples.
How does any of the above play out today?
Generally in society?
Between you and a friend/spouse/family member?
5. Some memories are unpleasant or uncomfortable. Where was God
during that time? Where is God now as you recall those memories?
Things to do
1. Write a litany of remembrances.
2. Start a new tradition in your family or circle of friends
3. Spend time with an aging member of your family/church / community and listen to what they remember.
The above is not all encompassing and some may not be of concern
for you. Consider your own questions.
a
limerick
There once was a clergy from Kent,
Her ministry inconsistent,
She was forced to move But then found her grove And now her days are well spent!
Annette Sorensen
Director, Starfish Ministries
New Mexico Conference
23
(/)
c
0
+-'
u
(1.)
'+(1.)
-l.......
( /)
c
0
+-'
u
m
remembering the CONSULTATION
a
24
sabbath
along the path
Thirty-nine smiling clergywomen joined for lunch celebrating our
time at United Theological Seminary. Dr. Ai Ra Kim, the first graduate
from the United Methodist Church Women of Color program and our
Sociology of Religion professor, offered grace. We recalled "Sabbath
moments" from our time on campus, beginning with earliest graduates, including Kathy Nickerson Sage from the 1970s, to those members of the 2 0 0 5 graduating class.
Most were in the Master of Divinity degree program, but one
recently graduated with the Doctor of Missiology degree. Several were
in the D.Min. program, and a few were in the Master of Arts in
Religious Communication, or the Master of Arts in Specialized
Ministry programs. Our soothing, joyous, humorous "Sabbath" times
included:
• Playing volleyball with faculty and students on campus
• Attending chapels and worship
• Holding classes in faculty homes during the energy crisis of 19 74
•Advising-supervised ministry groups, "Core Group"
• Common meals
• Community gardening
•Throwing pots in the pottery studio
•Marjorie Suchocki's graduation address
•The Harriet Miller Women's Center events and relaxing room
• Praying with other students
•Driving to the Buffalo campus with other New York students
from miles away
• Mealtime with students during Buffalo marathon classes lunch
breaks
• Holding a memorial service for a cockroach found in the dorm
room
• Professor Dennis Benson jumping up from behind the pulpit in
chapel as "Batman," shouting: "All you Superheroes, lay down
your heavy burdens"
•The annual "Turkey" imitation provided by Professor Jim Nelson
•The jogging path and playground
•Help getting rid of a headache, by a dorm-room neighbor
• The loving care of Phyllis Schaefer, a precious field education
staff member
• "Homecoming" football game between faculty and students,
with a "queen" riding on a car
• Liturgical dancing
•The community of Scarritt Bennett Center for Diaconal Studies
• Seeing a very pregnant Professor Carolyn Bohler walking to
class
• Support as a single mother on campus
• Senior Banquet festivities and "roasts"
What a Sabbath moment it was for me to see these women graduates
and students, many of whom I knew from teaching at United for the
past twenty years! What an affirmation to hear that seminary itself was,
for most of the women, a Sabbath along their life path.
United Theological Seminary luncheon
Carolyn Bohler
California Pacific Conference
25
tending
cycles of sabbath
I come to you feeling heavy with a series of crises among people
close to me. I come to you burdened with global conflicts - in
Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, the United States, the Sudan, Haiti, Israel,
Palestine and many other parts of the world. I also come to you overwhelmed with the joy of being with you, the joy of so many women
gathered, of communion with dear friends, and the joy of God's Spirit
moving in this place. This is a Sabbath time in a Sabbath place. With
that awareness, I turn to the theme of this time, "Tending Cycles of
Sabbath."
26
~
Sabbath is a time
A time for land to rest,
A time for animals to lie down and be restored,
A time for people - rich and poor, slave and free To rest and be reborn!
Sabbath is a place
A place for land to lie fallow,
A place for animals to lie down and slowly breathe,
A place for people of all nations and religious beliefs,
Of all social classes, cultures and ages
To rest in peace, to gather in praise,
To live in the hope of God's future always!
Sabbath is a cycle
A cycle that comes every week on the seventh day,
A cycle that comes each day on the ringing of the hour,
A cycle that comes every seven years, and seven times seven years,
A cycle that moves God's creation toward Jubilee-A time for making the world right,
For being holy in God's sight
A space where lion and lamb can gather and rest,
Where justice and mercy are put to the test,
Where you and I are called by God
to live our days,
Loving creation and giving God praise,
Letting go of hatred and strife,
Giving ourselves to the promise of Life,
that will bind our wounds and touch our souls
until God's kin-dom and glory unfold!
This morning the sun rose with startling beauty. Monday night it set
in a dazzling, fiery sky. The sun's rising and setting proclaim the wonder of God and God's creation as the earth slowly cycles to enjoy the
beginning and closing of day. In truth, the sun does not travel across
the sky by day, but the earth slowly revolves, allowing us to see the
sun and receive its gifts of warmth and light. The earth simply tends
its natural cycle of turning and moving around its orbit. As it continues to turn toward the sun, all of its sides can receive the rays oflight.
By tending to its cycles, the earth provides rest and restoration for all
its creatures. Likewise, Sabbath is a cycle to be tended.
The word 'tending' comes from the Latin 'tenir' meaning to hold.
What does it mean to be held in God's hands? That is what Sabbath is :
being held by God, being held between the beginning and end of
time, being held by God's creation as we await God's future . Sabbath
also encompasses the act of holding, holding God's blessings, holding
God's creation, holding ourselves and others. The idea of tending
cycles of Sabbath includes how the Sabbath commands call us to hold
and be held by the Giver and Sustainer of life. In order to enjoy all of
27
~
that holding, however, we have to release all the stuff that destroys life.
Arms cluttered with life-destroying possessions and work, or with
heavy, but positive possessions and work cannot be embraced.
To get an embodied sense of being held, let us sing and move our
bodies together in the hymn-prayer "On Eagle's Wings."
And God will raise you up on eagle's wings,
Bear you on the breath of dawn,
Make you to shine like the sun,
And hold you in the palm of God's hands. 1
28
This song suggests that Sabbath releases us from the weight of our
burdens, for God raises us up. Sabbath releases us from the struggle to
repair the world all by ourselves, for God bears us on the breath of
dawn. Sabbath releases us from our own inadequacy, for God makes
us shine like the sun. And Sabbath releases us from fear, for God holds
us in the palm of Her hands.
"For six years you shall sow your land and gather in its yield; but
the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the poor of
your people may eat; and what they leave the wild animals may eat.
You shall do the same with your vineyard, and with your olive
orchard. Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you
shall rest, so that your ox and your donkey may have relief, and your
homeborn slave and the resident alien may be refreshed." Exodus
23 : 10-12 (NRSV)
A time of Sabbath is a gift to the land, animals, and people.
Repeatedly in the Hebrew Bible, the Sabbath tradition is described as a
gift of God. To keep Sabbath, then, is to care for God's gift (Leviticus
19:3; 25; Deuteronomy 15: 1- 18; Genesis 2: 1-3 ; Exodus 20 : 11; 21 : 1-6) .
The Sabbath is a time of celebration and thanksgiving. It is a time
of pause to be held by the Creator and the wonders of creation. Thus,
it invites us, first, to release and then to receive and participate.
RELEASE
Tending cycles of Sabbath is like praying the hours of the weekday or
resting on the Sabbath day. It is a way of living respectfully with creation, releasing our control while we wait upon God's nourishment,
God's promises, and God's calling. What do we need to release in this
moment of time? Playfully, reflect on the acronym S-A-B-B-A-T-H in
relation to praying the hours of the day.
S - SCAPEGOATING
We surely must let go of scapegoating as the bell tolls the first hour of the
day. Adam blamed Eve for eating the forbidden fruit, and Eve blamed
the snake. They were punished as a result, but oddly enough, the
Christian church still blames Eve. In the past 15 years, leaders in both
the Southern Baptist and Roman Catholic churches have made statements pointing to Eve's sin as one of the reasons for not ordaining
women. This scapegoating directly punishes women.
The United States has been active in scapegoating during the
post-September 11 weeks. The war rhetoric has identified our country
with "freedom-fighting" and "fighting for peace," challenging other
nations to be "with us or against us." 2 This is scapegoating, plain and
simple, identifying two sides and then identifying one as good and
the other as evil.
What we can easily forget is that freedom has more than two
sides. Through the history of the world, every war or conflict that has
been labeled with two sides has left devastation in its wake. European
settlers labeled Native Americans as "other" and thereby justified
killing them, diminishing their cultures and lands.
White American labeled Africans as "other," and thereby enslaved
them. The United States labeled the Soviet Union as "other" and thereby contributed to a Cold War legacy of violence, so much so that we
now seek another "righteous" cause. However appealing the temptation to fight for a righteous cause, the Sabbath tradition invites us to
release scapegoating and, in its stead, to build a world of love, justice
and peace.
Of course, we can easily scapegoat church leaders and national
leaders who scapegoat others for their own ends, but when we are
most honest, we see scapegoating in our own families and congregations, and in ourselves. Breathe deeply and release scapegoating; practice
Sabbath.
A-APATHY
As the bell tolls the second hour of the day, Sabbath invites you to
release apathy. Apathy is the spirit that allows pessimism and hopelessness to overwhelm us and destroy our sense of agency. I was struck by
a recurring theme in the two semesters that I taught "Issues of
Women and Theology in Christian Tradition" at Candler School of
Theology. Each student was invited to choose a focal theme for the
29
>-{l
semester. Many white women chose the theme of suffering, and many
black women chose the theme of hope.
In one oral exam, I observed this common difference, and one
white student asked why. A black student responded, "As as African
American, I have to focus on hope because I do not have the luxury to
dwell on suffering; we have to focus on that which lifts up and empowers our community."
This wise woman was saying, we have to release apathy as we practice
Sabbath in this classroom. This woman was refusing to give in to suffering; similarly, the white women were refusing to ignore it any longer. All
of these women, in their distinctive ways, were committed to releasing
apathy.
30
~
B - BODILYTENSION
As the bell tolls the third hour of the day. we are called to rdease bodily tension.
This theme was raised with pizzazz in the clergywomen's consultation, and
I will simply add one more possibility for release. Long ago a student
taught me a relaxation exercise that she had read in a magazine. I have
practiced it ever since, discovering that it renews my body by releasing the
tension I hold inside.This is the secret.
You lie down perfectly flat and perfectly straight. Then you imagine
that every part of your body is being held by the ground beneath you.
When you are thoroughly grounded, you imagine yourself being lifted by
a cloud and, then, held by that cloud in a place that you love.
As you are held there, take eight deep breaths and release them slowly.
When I do this I silently say the mantra "Spirit" with each breath, knowing
that I am breathing in Spirit and breathing it out. After the eight breaths,
you continue to lie still and imagine the next moments when you will rise
and move onto the next part of your day. When I rise from this practice of
relaxation, I find that I am no longer holding onto stress; I am being held
by God.To release bodily tension is to release oneself to Sabbath, whether it is
done in an eight-hour sleep or a five-minute relaxation exercise.
B - BOREDOM
As the bell tolls the fourth hour of the day. we are called to rdease boredom,
that state of mind that closes us to wonder and unexpected blessings.
When we are overwhelmed with boredom, we are called to let it go and
do whatever restores our souls: reading, hiking, praying, watching movies,
knitting.
A - ATTACHMENT TO GLORY
As the bell tolls the fifth hour of the day, we are called to release attachment to glory. As openhearted as we might have been when we first said,
"Here I am, Lord"; and as boldly as we may have said it a thousand
other times, the attraction to glory burns brightly. Most of us succumb, at least occasionally, whether in competing with others or in
trying to make sure that everyone knows we are really good people
and good ministers. Praying the Lord's Prayer is am important Sabbath
practice because it begins and ends with the glory of God: "Our
Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name ... For thine is the
kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever." Releasing our attachment to glory opens space to be attached to the glory of God.
T - TREASURING THINGS
When the bell tolls the sixth hour of the day, we are often at
lunchtime and feeling very hungry. This is a time of the day when we
are tempted to treasure things, to feed more than bodily needs, but to
feed our cravings to accumulate treasures. Releasing our attachment to treasuring things can open space to treasure the works of God's hands, the
glory of God's creation.
H - HATRED TOWARD ENEMIES
When the bell tolls the seventh hour, we have hopefully released so
much poison that we are prepared for what might be the most difficult release of all, releasing hatred toward our enemies. A number of years ago,
I was being undermined by a person who was technically my boss.
The person was very subtle and good at this undermining game, but I
soon realized that the game was not a figment of my imagination.
I spent some time with a counselor reflecting on the situation and
on my own pattern of forgiving and bouncing back. One day the
counselor said to me, "Mary Elizabeth, the sooner you learn that you
cannot trust this person, the better off you will be. This person will
undermine you at every opportunity. and you need to remind yourself of that fact every day." At first I thought this was a cynical
approach; however, I knew the counselor was right, so I followed the
advice.
The most amazing thing happened. I stopped expecting this person to support or appreciate me; I ceased to be amazed when the person actively undermined me. What is most amazing, however, is that I
31
began to love the person in a new way, not based on hopes that he
would be kind, but based on who he was. The ability to accept him as
he was came to me unexpectedly when I was fmally able to release
my hatred. Releasing hatred frees space to love our enemies.
RECEIVING AND PARTICIPATING
We have been identifying Sabbath with release; now turn to the acts
of receiving and participating in Sabbath, again reflecting on S-A-B-BA-T-H in relation to the hours of the day.
32
~
S - STILLNESS
As the bell tolls the eighth hour, we are called to practice stillness, to
make the world right by first stilling our souls and awaiting the lead
of God. Thomas Merton used to teach the monks of Gethsemane to
begin prayer, not with words, but with silent awareness of their union
with God; then, according to Merton, they would know what words
to pray.
Several years ago, when racial tensions were at one of their most
explosive heights in this country, Thomas Merton predicted racial violence in Chicago. Martin Marty expressed disbelief in Merton's prediction, even anger that Merton, praying in his monastery in Kentucky,
would feign to know what was happening in Chicago when people
working hard for racial justice in Chicago saw the picture quite differently. Shortly thereafter, racial violence broke out, and Marty published a public apology to Merton. Merton, who had received the stillness of Sabbath, discerned something in the world that people in the
midst of action could not see.
The suggestion that stillness always or only comes in a monastery;
it often comes in the middle of action. The practice of stillness - every
hour, every day, every week, or every year - can calm the soul and
enhance understanding of the world. This is why Mother Theresa and
Dorothy Day began each day with prayer and celebrated Eucharist frequently. They were activists who daily received the Sabbath gift of
stillness.
A - APPRECIATION
As the ninth hour is rung in, we are called to appreciate the bounties of God.
Appreciation is the thanksgiving that stands at the center of Eucharist;
it is the healing power of giving thanks to God and God's creation,
even in the midst of struggle and hurt. Appreciation is a gift to be
received and an act to be done. The more we give thanks, the more we
will discern the gifts for which we can be thankful.
B - BEAUTY
The tenth hour is a time for ringing in beauty. To receive and participate in
beauty is akin to Bishop Kammerer's opening her curtains and planting
a garden,3 creating a place where beauty can bathe her days.
B - BOLD VISION
When the bell tolls the eleventh hour, the practice of bold vision may
come. Sabbath is an eschatological sign in both Jewish and Christian
traditions; therefore, Sabbath offers visions of God's future and invites
bold participation. Consider Gershon Baskin's story of his friend Isaac
Saada, a teacher involved in peace education in Israel and Palestine.•
Isaac confided in his friend how difficult it was to teach his children
to love and hope for peace because they had seen so many terrible
things. They asked their dad how he could possibly work with the
Israelis. He responded "that we had to believe in peace and that peace
would eventually come." He elaborated that "the worst thing that
could happen to them and to the Palestinian people would be if they
filled their hearts with hatred." Soon after saying these words , Isaac
Saada died in a shelling meant for terrorists.
This story has an unhappy ending, but it reveals bold vision, a
vision of peace for which Isaac Saada gave his life. IfSaada's life is not
to be in vain, other people - Palestinians, Israelis, Muslims, Christians
and Jews - will need to live with the same bold vision, even when
faced with imminent danger. This is not a naive posture, but a decision to be a force for justice and peace. If Isaac Saada could do this in
the midst of shelling, the human family can do it now in the aftermath of September I I, receiving and participating in bold vision.
A - ADORATION
As the bell tolls the twelfth hour, the invitation comes to practice adoration for the God who creates and redeems, reclaims and liberates. We
are called to receive and participate in the Sabbath gift of adoration.
T - TOUCH
And now, the bell tolls the thirteenth hour, the hour when we receive
touch. We are touched by human kindness , even amid devastation and
33
trauma. Rabbi Leila Gal Berner has told the story of a 21 -year-old
Pakistani Muslim man who worked in the World Trade Center and had
many friends there. This young man described his experience of evacuating building #7 and running to escape the towers.
About five blocks from his office, he turned to look as the World
Trade Center fell. As people continued to run, he fell with people running all around him. He was wearing a pendant around his neck with
an Arabic prayer for safety. While he lay on the ground, he described
how a Hassidic Jewish man came to him and read the pendant in
Arabic out loud. Then, he spoke in a deep Brooklyn accent: "Brother if
you don't mind, there is a cloud of glass coming at us, grab my hand,
and let's get the hell out of here." 5
As the young Pakistani man told his story, he added that the
Hassidic man "was the last person I would ever have thought who
would help me."•Yet, this was the person who led him away from the
sea of glass and debris. The young man concluded his story with
encouraging people, when they are angry and want to retaliate, to
remember these words: "Brother, if you don't mind, there is a cloud
of glass coming at us, grab my hand, and let's get the hell out of
here."
34
H - HOPE AND HEALING
At the close of day, at the fourteenth hour, the bell tolls encouragement to participate in hope and healing. Hope and healing can be a
choice; we can do things that build or destroy hope and we can contribute to or block healing. At the same time, hope and healing are
ultimately gifts from God. Let us pray that, at the end of this Sabbath
time, we will know that we have received and participated in hope
and healing! Amen!
Mary Elizabeth Mullino Moore
California Pacific Conference
Michael Joncas, "On Eagle's wings," The United Methodist Hymnal
(Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 1989), 143. The
hymn is based on Exodus 19: 4.
2
The words are quoted from President Bush's earliest speeches on
September 11, 2001, and soon thereafter. These were widely broadcast and published.
3
· Bishop Charlene Kammerer, Sermon, United Methodist
Clergywomen's Consultation, San Diego, California, 7 January 2002.
•· Gershon Baskin, Co-Director of Israel/Palestine Center for Research
and Information, Letter of 18 July 2001.
s. Rabbi Leila Gal Berner, Kol Nidre, Congregation Bet Mishpachah,
Washington, D.C., 26 September 2001.
6
Ibid.
1
35
sabbath
rhythm
36
~
I am a survivor of a legalist Sabbath culture. I still feel guilt when I
shop on Sunday.
Sabbath means a day of ceasing. In my culture, the emphasis was
on how to cease and it never connected with God's purpose for ceasing. Sabbath was another day to work hard to please God.
Today, I am known as an active pastor and an extrovert. My job at
a Christian university forces odd hours. Giving myself permission to
cease is difficult. If there isn't work, there's home.
It has been said that, "playing and praying are essential for
Sabbath keeping." We often practice their separation in our Sabbath
keeping. A Sabbath that omits one or the other is not truly Sabbath.
Americans have noticeable examples of half-Sabbaths - prayerful
without play, like our puritan ancestors; or playful without prayer as
our nonbeliever contemporaries practiced.
My goal is finding a Sabbath rhythm, the restorative rest, restorative relationships, and deep prayer life that allows rest in ways I was
created. That means avoiding others' ways of approaching Sabbath and
connecting in ways that fit me. My approaches are napping, enjoying
relationships, and the Celtic way of prayer.
Napping comes naturally for me, but the essence of Sabbath is
coming away for a minute, taking deep breaths, and slowing down.
The restoration that happens in these moments is emotional, physical,
and spiritual; and I am refreshed for the rest of the day.
Friends hold me accountable with love and we find the best in
each other. People in my life journey bring the reflection and stimulation I couldn't get myself Relationships are an element of Sabbath
which restores and connects me on a deeper, more intimate level with
God.
Cultivating the Celtic way of prayer, had been edifying for my
Sabbath rest. This celebration of the mysterious and the common connects me to our ancestors, and satisfies a deep calling of my heart.
Although I'm often caught in a busy culture bereft of the idea of a
sacred time or way, I'm nourished by the rhythm that appeals to me.
When I see Mt. Rainier or the Pacific Coast, I celebrate God's beauty,
but I find expression in the Celtic way of prayer.
With my natural tendencies towards the active, I intentionally
gravitate towards the Sabbath rhythm - restorative rest, restorative
relationships and a deeper prayer life. This is a Sabbath of healing and
not guilt.
Reflections from Rev. Bonnie Brann
Fuller Alumni luncheon, U.M. Clergywomen's Consultation
San Diego, CA
January 8, 2002
37
~
MAMA
Cindy
Because being with this wonderful gathering of United Methodist Clergywomen from all
over the world was a new experience, here's a very special incident that happened to me
while attending this excellently-planned consultation.
38
Since 1981 I have been part of a prayer group called the Pier Group.
The Lord brought five of us together when Cynthia Chrisner suffered
with a back condition that confined her to bed. Everyday we gathered
at her home, anointing her and laying on hands. As she began to
recover, practically right in front of our eyes, our meetings changed
from daily to once a week. Now due to changes in our lives, we don't
meet regularly. However, we communicate frequently and meet whenever a familial or personal need arises.
Cynthia, who was the reason Pier Group began, had healed and
become very active in her local United Methodist Church. In 1983
she attended a covered dish supper at her church; this gathering was
to honor the United Methodist Bishop of Zaire, who was visiting.
While he spoke, he offered an invitation to anyone willing to come to
his country to teach English to the United Methodist women. His
intention was to help them to communicate with United Methodist
women in other tribes. Cynthia Chrisner responded to this call, and,
in 1983, went to Zaire as a Volunteer in Mission for nine months.
Years after she returned, she died, after a short illness in 2001.
One evening during dinner at the consultation in San Diego, I noticed
two women struggling with the menu. I walked over to their table
and offered my assistance. During the conversation I asked where they
were from and they said Zaire. I told them I was part of the group
representing the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference.
The next question was "Did you know Mama Cindy"? This is
what they called Cynthia Chrisner. One of the women named
Gertrude became very still and then her eyes lit up and she added
"and her husband?"
Cynthia's husband Jack Chrisner had visited for two weeks while
Mama Cindy was in Zaire. Meanwhile three other women from Zaire
arrived at the table. Gertrude asked how Mama Cindy was, and I told
her about her recent death. She was very saddened to hear this news.
I told these women how much it meant to me to meet someone
to whom Mama Cindy had ministered, to see the fruit of her ministry
in Zaire. Tears flowed and each of the women gave me a big hug.
What a blessing to find out how small our world really is, to see
how teaching English to these women so they could communicate
with United Methodist women in other tribes became part of the
journey of a sister clergywomen from so far away! I praise God for
this spontaneous meeting that touched all of us involved so deeply.
Had it not been for the consultation the opportunity to make this
contact would not have been possible.
When I returned home and shared this experience with Jack and
the other three members of our covenant group, they all were thrilled
to tears. What a gift it was for Jack to hear this affirmation of his wife,
Cynthia's ministry.
Beverly Errickson
Greater New Jersey Conference
39
~
0...
(./)
b.O
c
ro
Q)
-+-'
!.......
u
holy song
Q)
...c
-+-'
Susan R. Beehler
For my mother, who has given me her free spirit, incense, support, prayers, and love
and the desert.
Chorus
C7
A Jn..,ecuyJ
...
"
-·l
~
:
I
And
WC
""'8
%
'-I
my
,...,
""'8
I
I
.
......
to - 1dh-cr
fin• time
of
•ym-bol
-
·-·..
-
~
-
- I
I
I
.
,,.
-
-
,..--...
L..J
I
I
I~
..,
t:'I
1
joy•
''lit
l
I
.., •
106
:
J.
lhat
WC
ahan:d.
..
I
-
t:'I
•
-
,,,.
1....--.J
•
-
-
I.
-·
,,,.
-
1..--J
*Please read Susan's editorial in the editorial circle, page 4.
t:'I
J.
~·
blessed
Blessed is the one
Who remembers
Her family,
For the LORD
Shall remember
Her forever.
44
~
Blessed is the one
Whose heart is open
To forgiveness,
For the LORD
Shall fill
Her heart with love.
Blessed is the one
Who hears the voice
Of her father,
For the LORD
Shall hear
Her voice in prayer.
Blessed is the one
Who prepares a home
For the homeless,
For the LORD
Has prepared
A home for her
In the presence of God.
Blessed is the one
Who has clung to hope
In the presence of silence,
For the LORD
Shall be heard
In her presence.
Blessed is the one
Called Jennifer,
For she is remembered,
In the hearts of her family,
And in the heart of the Lord.
Sara Lee Hinnant
September 5, 2000
For cousin Jennifer
Western North Carolina Conference
45
news
The Clergywomen's Retention Study can be found on the world wide
web.The address is www.bu.edu/sth/shaw/retention
Are you a graduate of a Historically Black College (HBC)? If so, contact Dr. Joreatha Capers at (615) 340-7 436 or [email protected].
She's looking for you.
Georgia Harkness Scholars. We would like to hear your story. Georgia
Harkness was instrumental in legislation being passed at General
Conference in 19 5 6 giving women full clergy rights. In preparation
for the SOth anniversary of that momentous decision it would be
wonderful to hear from you - your story, your call, or how the scholarship helped. Send those stories to Marion Jackson at GBHEM,
Clergywomen's Concerns, P.O. Box 340007 , Nashville, TN 37203.
E-mail: [email protected]
46
"We want the Georgia Harkness scholarship to be available for mature
women for years to come." says Bishop Sharon Zimmerman Rader.
Bishop Rader of the Wisconsin area is the chairperson of the Georgia
Harkness Endowment Committee. She is planning to raise $1 million
dollars within the next five years. Expect to receive information soon
about the fund drive.
"Feminist, Womanist Wesleyan Theology." How are women evaluating
and re-evaluating the Wesleyan theological tradition around concerns
of gender, race, class, region, denomination and ministry? This topic
is the focus of articles in the Winter 2003 issue of Quarterly Review.
Quarterly Review is the theological journal of GBHEM. It is designed
specifically to provide United Methodist leaders-both clergy and
lay-with the insightful and timely theological resources they need to
help the people they serve live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Our times are demanding, complex, and often confusing. For such
times, Quarterly Review provides need-to-know theology for people who
need to know . .. people like you.
SUBSCRIBE NOW TO MAKE SUREYOU RECEIVE OUR WINTER 2003
ISSUE! You don't want to miss this rich conversation. To subscribe, call
Cokesbury at 1-800-672-1789, or subscribe online at www.quarterlyreview.org.
A Shared Journey, songs composed by Susan R. Beehler and Jan
Powers and sung by the Baltimore-Washington Annual Conference
Clergywomen is being re-issued. Included among the selections is
"The Women Must Be Gathering." Hacienda Springs, Inc., a not-for profit center for women and children, has re-issued the songbook,
which includes piano accompaniment and a CD of the 1985 original
tape recording. Both of these are available for purchase. Orders may be
made by contacting Hacienda Springs, Inc., Attention Inelle Bagwell,
President, P.O. Box 340, 614 S. Water Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147 .
Your Opinion Please
1. What is your definition of continuing education?
2. What do you do for continuing education?
3. The Book of Discipline states in paragraph 349 "Throughout their
careers, clergy shall engage in continuing education for ministry, professional development and spiritual formation and growth .. ." What
are your thoughts on that statement?
4. In your opinion what, if anything, should be required of clergy as
it relates to continuing education?
5. Do you think many clergy are resistant to continuing education? If
so, why?
Please respond by E-mail to [email protected] or snail mail,
Wellsprings Opinion
GBHEM/SELP, P.O. Box 340007 , Nashville, TN 37203
47
~
On The Record
"People ask why the UMC in Burundi and in Kenya is growing. It is
because from the very founding of the UMC here, the leaders have
insisted that the women be present and included in leadership. In
other churches in these areas, women are not permitted in these
roles, so they come to UM churches, bringing their children and their
husbands -so the churches grow and benefit from their leadership
and fmancial management."
- Bishop Alfred Ndoricirnpa (Burundi Area) at the Wholistic Africa
Strategy meeting May 4 in Phoenix.
Newscope
The weekly newsletter for United Methodist Leaders
Vol. 29, No. 20/May 18, 2001
South Central Jurisdictional Clergywomen's Consultation,
January 21 -23, 2003 atTravis Park UMC, 230 E.Travis St.,
San Antonio, Texas.
Southeastern Jurisdictional Clergywomen's Consultation,
March 13- 15 at Lake Junaluska Assembly, Asheville, North Carolina.
48
~
General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
The United Methodist Church
Wellsprings: A Journal for United Methodist Clergywomen
Section of Elders and Local Pastors
P.O. Box 340007
Nashville, TN 37203-0007
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Nashville, Tenn.
Permit No. 11