Women still pioneers as senior pastors, survey shows
The Revs. Trudy D. Robinson (left) and Constance Pak listen to the
results of a survey during the final event of the United Methodist
Board of Higher Education and
Ministry’s Lead Women Pastors Project. UMNS photos by Vicki Brown. |
A UMNS Report
By Vicki Brown*
May 6, 2009
Women who lead large United Methodist churches are still pioneers, a new survey has found.
Nine out of 10 lead women pastors at churches with more than 1,000
members are the first woman to lead those churches, according to a
survey of 94 women and 300 men who are senior pastors of large
congregations.
The study, part of the Lead Women Pastors Project of the United
Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry, also found that women
have to work harder for acceptance and appear less likely than men to
pursue appointments at large churches.
But those women leading larger churches are building the foundation for
greater changes in the status of women clergy, said project leaders who
met recently in West Palm Beach, Fla.
“Now that we are here in places above the stained-glass ceiling, we can
begin to create a culture that affirms the gifts of women within our
churches – from children and teenagers in the local congregation to
women enrolled in seminary,” said the Rev. Trudy Robinson, a project
leader who is pastor of First United Methodist Church of Cheyenne, Wyo.
Resource for younger women
The pastors’ project is moving into its second phase, in which 16
women nominated by bishops as having the potential to lead
large-membership churches will go through a training program. Each
woman will be paired with a coach who will help nurture the needed
skills for a large church.
“The experiences of these lead women pastors will serve as a resource
for the formation of younger generations of women leaders, not only for
The United Methodist Church, but also in our society,” said the Rev.
HiRho Park, director of Continuing Formation for Ministry at the
education agency.
|
Bishops W. Earl Bledsoe and Violet
Fisher (second from right), assisted
by Susan Willhauck (left) and the
Rev. HiRho Park, lead worship.
|
In 1880, a woman was ordained as clergy in a Methodist denomination
that later became part of The United Methodist Church. But women clergy
didn’t have equal rights until the General Conference voted in 1956 to
grant full clergy rights to women. About 10,000 of the approximately
45,000 clergy in The United Methodist Church are women.
The women pastors’ project identified 94 women who serve as lead pastor
of a church with more than 1,000 members. According to the General
Council on Finance and Administration, there are nearly 1,200 United
Methodist churches with more than 1,000 members.
The majority of the survey respondents noted that women have to work harder for acceptance and leadership roles.
“Clergywomen are still on trial in the large membership churches,” said
Susan Willhauck, associate professor of Pastoral Theology at Atlantic
School of Theology in Halifax, Nova Scotia, who worked with Park on the
survey.
Wilhauck noted that male lead pastors got to larger churches quicker –
within 3.75 appointments, compared to four appointments for women.
“That might not seem like that much difference, but statistically it
represents a notable discrepancy,” she said. She also found a slightly
different career trajectory, with more women coming out of appointments
beyond the local church, such as district superintendent. One-fourth of
women were second-career elders, compared to one-third of men.
Differences with men
Willhauck said it appears from the comments made by respondents that
men are more likely to ask for specific appointments, while women are
more likely to say “send me where I’m best suited, or where my gifts
are most needed. Women are conditioned to wait to be asked.”
“I worry about us trying to fit into a box that has been defined by men.”
– The Rev. Trudy Robinson The survey,
conducted by mail and online from October to December last year, also
found men are more nurturing and empathetic than women, and women are
more decisive and less confrontational in dealing with conflicts, or
more collaborative, Park said.
The overall finding of substantial similarities in leadership style concerned Robinson.
“I worry about us trying to fit into a box that has been defined by
men,” Robinson said. “We should consider that we might be wise to make
room for a variety of leadership styles in all our churches.”
Among other findings:
- Three-fourths of women senior pastors believe that serving a large church is a special calling.
- All
but three of the men and women senior pastors surveyed where white. “We
have tried to be intentional about including racial-ethnic women in
those selected for the coaching program,” Park said.
- Ninety-nine percent of male pastors were married, compared to 69 percent of women.
- Women
pastors listed the three greatest gifts of ministry as preaching,
leadership, and administration. Male pastors picked preaching, teaching
and administration.
*Brown is associate editor and writer, Office of Interpretation, United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry.
News media contact: David Briggs, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5472 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
Video Story
Lead Women Pastors
Related Articles
United Methodist project develops clergywomen
Clergywomen celebrate advances, reflect on call
Resources
Lead Women Pastors Project Survey Summary
Report Responses
Board of Higher Education and Ministry
United Methodist Clergywomen |
Facebook
Korean News