Resources celebrate women of color, clergywomen's 50th

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
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.

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.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary, the United Methodist Board of Discipleship has published "Call to Worship and Opening Prayer to Commemorate the Fifty-Year Anniversary of Full Clergy Rights for Women." The resource was written by the Rev. Pamela Cunningham Hawkins, a staff member of Pulpit & Pew: the Duke Center for Excellence in Ministry. The worship and prayer, as well as other prayers, litanies and acts of worship, are available at http://www.gbod.org/worship/default.asp?loc_id=9,1115,1119&act=nav_loc

The women's commission has listed various resources available to celebrate the 50th anniversary and has linked to Gospel Colors.com, which is offering for purchase a 50th anniversary stole. The $179 stole features the names of the women in the Bible and the United Methodist Cross and Flame symbols. The design is also available as part of a deacon stole and a scapular. Prices and ordering information are available at www.gospelcolors.com or by calling (816)531-3590.

A tour, dramas and more
A museum tour featuring women from both the Methodist and Holiness traditions is offered by the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History at http://www.gcah.org/Museum/home.htm. The tour shows that women have been part of Methodism since its beginning in England.

The Rev. Clayton Childers, a staff member at the United Methodist Board of Church and Society, has written two dramas to give context to the action giving women clergy full rights. "A Story to Tell Our Grandchildren: A Celebration of Full Clergy Rights for Women" focuses on the actual debate leading to the church's granting full clergy rights to women. The drama, in a pdf format, may be downloaded at http://www.umc-gbcs.org/site/pp.asp?c=fsJNK0PKJrH&b=1425057.

The second offering is "It's a Matter of Discrimination," a "gender-reversed" play that has characters arguing for and against clergy rights for women. It can be downloaded at the same address as the other drama.

The May/June issue of Circuit Rider, a magazine of the United Methodist Publishing House, is devoted to women in ministry. The edition highlights "stories of women as far back as 1787 who have provided firm ground on which to stand," says the Rev. Judy Smith, associate to the Publishing House president and an ordained clergywoman for 30 years.

In addition to featuring resources, Umc.org, the Web site of the United Methodist Church, also provides history, related articles, commentaries and denominational statements.

*Green is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in Nashville, Tenn.