Resources celebrate women of color, clergywomen’s 50th
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A UMNS photo illustration by Suzanne Story The "Following the Path" DVD will premiere at the Women of Color Consultation.
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The
"Following the Path" DVD will premiere at the Aug. 11-13 Women of Color
Consultation in Chicago. The DVD shares the stories of women
participating in the Women of Color scholarship program, which provides
financial aid to women who are pursuing doctorates in theology or
philosophy. The program was created by the United Methodist Board of
Higher Education and Ministry, and the DVD was produced by United
Methodist Communications. A UMNS photo illustration by Suzanne Story.
Photo # 06699. Accompanies UMNS story #370. 6/19/06 |
June 19, 2006
By Linda Green*
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (UMNS) — DVDs, books, bulletin inserts, hymns, dramas,
litanies and more are being offered across the United Methodist Church to celebrate
the diversity of clergywomen and recognize the 50th anniversary of full clergy
rights for women in the denomination.
The celebrations culminate Aug. 13-17 with the
International United Methodist Clergywomen’s Consultation in Chicago. Under the theme “The Spirit
of God Is Upon Us: Celebrating Our Courageous Past — Claiming Our Bold
Future,” clergywomen from the United States and from around the world
will have time for theological reflection and opportunities for nurture in
their ministries.
Throughout the event, diverse resources will help the clergywomen in daily
worship, plenaries, workshops, spirituality groups, seminary gatherings, liturgical
displays and informal gatherings to connect with women from around the globe.
Those and other resources, produced by several United Methodist agencies,
are also available for local congregations to use.
Women of Color resources
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Before the consultation, clergywomen of color whose pulpit is the classroom
will celebrate the 18-year-old program that helped them pursue a religious
education. The Women of Color scholars program was created in 1988 by the Board
of Higher Education and Ministry to address concerns about the lack of women
of color faculty members at United Methodist seminaries.
The Women of Color program provides up to $10,000
a year in scholarship funds — financial
aid to women of color who are working on doctorates in philosophy or theology.
Recipients of the scholarship meet twice a year with mentors — women
of color who are working in theological education.
Eighteen years later, 40 women have participated in the program, and 22 graduates
have doctorate degrees or doctor of theology degrees in religious studies.
Their accomplishments will be celebrated at an Aug. 11-13 Women of Color consultation.
The 2006 Women of Color Consultation/Celebration
program will highlight insights, theological perspectives and the academic
work of
the program’s graduate
scholars, mentors and current participants. The event is being sponsored by
the Office of Loans and Scholarships and the Division of Ordained Ministry
of the Board of Higher Education and Ministry in Nashville.
Premiering at the Women of Color celebration banquet
will be the DVD, “Following
the Path,” which shares the stories of the women participating in the
scholars program. It deals with the program’s significance and the challenges
and obstacles the women have overcome.
In the DVD’s introduction, Loans and Scholarships Director Angella Current-Felder
says the Women of Color scholars program “has been the path for United
Methodist women seeking higher ground in church and academic settings.” She
says participants in the program help strengthen the mission of the lay and
clergywomen for the church and the world.
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The DVD introduces viewers to clergywomen on the path and at the end of the
journey, all paying tribute to the program that put them on their way. The
resource, produced by United Methodist Communications, also features women
who are part of academia and are mentors to clergywomen on the path today.
“The beauty of the Women of Color scholars is that it helps those who
are going to be our spiritual leaders really deal with a diverse world because
we are bringing a different kind of message to the classroom,” says the
Rev. Linda Thomas, a professor at Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago.
All the Women of Color scholars “can sing the song ‘I am a Living
Testimony,’” says the Rev. Jacqueline Grant, a professor at Gammon
Theological Seminary in Atlanta. She says she hopes that as the church views
this DVD and “these living testimonies across the connection ... (it
realizes) that we cannot stop there, but we have to continue to multiply” them.
Celebrating the 50th year
Fifty years ago, following action by the United
Methodist General Conference, 27 women took the initial steps toward full
clergy rights,
and today, nearly
12,000 clergywomen worldwide serve the denomination. That milestone will be
celebrated at the Clergywomen’s Consultation, held every four years.
The quadrennial international clergywomen’s consultation “invites
clergywomen from around the world to gather to renew our sense of call, refocus
our vision, remember our past, reflect on the global church, reach forward
to a new generation, and rejoice together,” says the event’s Web
site, http://www.gbhem.org/clergywomen/consultation2006/home.html.
Two clergywomen from the Northern Illinois Annual
Conference — Carol
Noren and Christine Hoffmeyer — will serve as spiritual directors of
the consultation. Noren is professor of preaching at North Park Theological
Seminary in Chicago. Hoffmeyer is pastor and director of LampLighting Ministries
for Spiritual Formation in Evanston, Ill., and an instructor Garrett-Evangelical
Theological Seminary.
The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry commissioned books,
hymns, litanies and prayers to celebrate women as ministers in the denomination.
Courageous Past–Bold Future chronicles the
historic journey of the first women to receive full clergy rights and looks
at challenges
still facing clergywomen
50 years later. Another book, Courageous Spirit: Voices from Women in Ministry,
is a compilation of writings by clergywomen published by Upper Room Ministries.
The United Methodist Commission on the Status and Role of Women is providing
free resources to commemorate the granting of full clergy rights. Twelve different
bulletin inserts highlight courageous women who embarked and are now entering
ordained ministry.
A poster developed by the commission and the Board
of Higher Education and Ministry provides 50 ideas for celebrating the anniversary.
The poster has
been mailed to every local United Methodist church. Churches that have not
received it should contact the women’s commission at gcsrw@gcsrw.org or call (800) 523-8390.
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50th Anniversary Celebration of the granting of full clergy rights to women [more] |
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