a voice for women in baptist life Our Preacher

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ocare V a voice for women in baptist life Volume 11, no.

SACRED IN EVERY JOURNEY Celebrate and Worship with Baptist Women in Ministry WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 SMOKE RISE Baptist Church, STONE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA Worship at

1 ocare V a voice for women in baptist life Volume 11, no. 1, SPRING 2017 IN THIS ISSUE 2 The Annual Gathering 3 BWIM News BWIM Supporters 6 Self-Care: Ain t Nobody Got Time for That by CROSSROADS: DISCOVERING THE SACRED IN EVERY JOURNEY Celebrate and Worship with Baptist Women in Ministry WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 SMOKE RISE Baptist Church, STONE MOUNTAIN, GEORGIA Worship at 10 a.m. Lunch at 11:15 a.m. Lunch Tickets are $25 and will be available on the BWIM website on March 15. Be watching the BWIM Facebook Page and the BWIM E-newsletter for more details. 7 What if We Tried a Little Amplification by 8 A Church that Gives P. O. Box Atlanta, GA FOLLOW BWIM ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM & TWITTER. KASEY JONES Our Preacher OUR VISION Ossie X. McKinney Our Worship Leader Baptist Women in Ministry will be a catalyst in Baptist life, drawing together women and men, in partnership with God, to illuminate, advocate, and nurture the gifts and graces of women.

BWIM s ANNUAL GATHERING Baptist Women in Ministry Leadership Team Lynn Brinkley Scott Claybrook Taryn Deaton Carol McEntyre Starlette McNeill Deborah Reeves Tambi Swiney Executive Director

info Baptist Women in Ministry will host its annual gathering on June 28 at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia, where we will worship together, fellowship with friends both old and

Each of us stands in liminal spaces most every day deciding which path to take, figuring out which road to follow, pondering our future. Such is not a new experience.

2 BWIM s ANNUAL GATHERING Baptist Women in Ministry Leadership Team Lynn Brinkley Scott Claybrook Taryn Deaton Carol McEntyre Starlette McNeill Deborah Reeves Tambi Swiney Executive Director pamdurso@bwim.info Executive ASSISTANT Ashley Robinson ashleyrobinson@bwim.info INTERN Meagan Smith meagansmith@bwim.info Baptist Women in Ministry will host its annual gathering on June 28 at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia, where we will worship together, fellowship with friends both old and new, and as always enjoy exceptionally good food! Our worship theme this year is Crossroads: Discovering the Sacred in Every Journey. Each of us stands in liminal spaces most every day deciding which path to take, figuring out which road to follow, pondering our future. Such is not a new experience. God s people have long stood in the crossroads. Jeremiah 6:16 reminds us that this is an age-old quandary: The LORD said to the people: You are standing at the crossroads. So consider your path. Ask where the old, reliable paths are. Ask where the path is that leads to blessing and follow it. If you do, you will find rest for your souls. In his book, The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker s Guide to Making Travel Sacred, Phil Cousineau writes If we truly want to know the secret of soulful travel, we need to believe that there is something sacred waiting to be discovered in virtually every journey. (xxiv) Join with us in June as together we explore the sacred in our journeys. Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, Georgia Worship Worship begins at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday morning, June 28, at Smoke Rise Baptist Church, 5901 Hugh Howell Road, Stone Mountain, Georgia. Our preacher is Kasey Jones, pastor of National Memorial Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., and our worship leader is Ossie X. McKinney, minister of music at Faith Baptist Church, Atlanta, Georgia. Lunch Lunch will be served following worship. Tickets for lunch are $25 and will be available on March 15 on the BWIM website More details to come soon. Workshop During the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship s General Assembly Baptist Women in Ministry will host Allies, Advocates, and Amplifiers, a panel-based workshop that focuses attention on how men and women can be allies, advocates, and amplifiers for women ministers and leaders in the church. Join this panel of influential male and female leaders within the Fellowship and hear their suggestions and ideas for moving forward together. THE BWIM WEBSITE The BWIM website is packed full of resources, including information about Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching, the Addie Davis Awards, and a resource page, which includes maternity leave policies, ordination and installation service resources, placement and personnel helps, state and regional BWIM contact information, and a list of helpful books and articles. the bwim blog Baptist Women in Ministry welcomes you to read, enjoy, and share our blog. Read s weekly blog on Wednesdays, and meet an amazing array of ministers each Friday in our series, THIS IS WHAT A MINISTER LOOKS LIKE. Clergy sexual misconduct task force In 2016, along with Stephen Reeves, helped form a Task Force to address clergy sexual misconduct. The Task Force is working on best practice policies for church and organizations within Baptist life, offering educational resources through workshops and in seminaries, and addressing resources for survivors. Days of Discernment for College Women Each year BWIM hosts one or more Day of Discernment events for college women. These events create intentional space for college women to reflect on and discern their God-given calling. Two Day of Discernment events are planned for BAPTIST WOMEN IN MINISTRY NEWS Leading Women Leading Women, an event co-sponsored by Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and Baptist Women in Ministry, will celebrate the influence and voices of women from across the Fellowship movement. This three-day, intergenerational gathering will be held on April at First Baptist Church, Knoxville, Tennessee, and will include time for conversation, worship, leadership development, networking, and deepening relationships. Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching Martha Stearns Marshall Month of Preaching began in That year, 54 churches participated in this initiative. In 2016, 211 churches participated. This year BWIM will celebrate the tenth anniversary of MSM! MSM celebrates the preaching voices of women while also offering churches the opportunity to stand together in their support of women preachers. Mentoring In 2016, with the help of a generous grant from the Forum for Theological Exploration, BWIM expanded and formalized its mentoring program. Five mentoring groups were formed two for new pastors, one for associate ministers, and two for outside-the-box ministers, which includes chaplains, leaders in non-profits, bi-vocational ministers, and ministers working in non-traditional settings. Each group includes one mentor and four participants with a total of twenty-five ministers now involved in the program. The groups gathered for a Ashley Robinson was the 2016 Martha Stearns Marshall preacher at Beulah Baptist Church, Deveraux, Georgia. retreat in January 2017 and will spend the next year learning from a seasoned minister, sharing life together, and establishing healthy habits and practices for ministry. Placement Baptist Women in Ministry offers placement help both to churches and candidates. Numerous churches reach out to BWIM, asking for resumes, recommendations, and information about potential ministry candidates, and the BWIM staff responds to each request and provides assistance. The BWIM staff also provides placement help to numerous candidates, both women and men, coaching them on resume preparation, interviewing and negotiating skills, and serving as a connecting point between many of the candidates and search committees. BWIM s assistance is provided as a ministry, and there are no fees for our services. 2 3

3 WITH MUCH THANKS TO BAPTIST WOMEN IN MINISTRY supporters, 2016 INDIVIDUALS Alyssa Aldape Courtney Allen Missy Ward Angalla Jessica Asbell Lauren and David Bass Irene Bennett Katie Bray Lynn Brinkley Katrina Brooks Gary Burton Paul and Shauw Chin Capps Becky Caswell-Speight and Josh Speight Ruth Clowater Jeni Cook Furr Taryn Deaton Paula Dempsey Ellen DiGiosia Alex Durso Pam Foster Christy McMillin Goodwin Adam Gray Sarah Greenfield Erin and Jake Hall Mary Elizabeth and Matt Hanchey Yvonne Harold Kristen Harris-Bridwell Ircel Harrison Jenny Hodge Karlan Holik Emily Holladay Jane Hull Becky and Doug Jackson Craig Janney Barry and LeAnn Johns Libby Johnson Kelly Moreland Jones Linda Jones Ruth Perkins Lee Amy Lin Julie Long Rebecca Mathis Amy McClure Emily Hull McGee Ossie McKinney Starlette McNeill Kristen Muse Megan and Marty Pike Kristen Pope Kevin Pranoto Stacy Pyle Deborah Reeves Stephanie Riley Sara Robb Charity Roberson Ashley Robinson Julie Sadler Katrina Salter-Wood Robin Sandbothe Tiffany Brown Seaford Ellen Sechrest Stephanie Moody Shaffer Tamara Smathers Meagan Smith Maria Stinnett James and Meredith Stone Tambi Swiney David Tew Molly Shoulta Tucker Tonya Vickery Will Ward Charles Watson Doug and Pat Weaver Ashton Wells Donald Williford Mary Yangsook Ahn Nancy Ammerman Gerald Arnold Jennifer Asbill Diana Austin Patricia Ayers Catherine Bahn Judith Bledsoe Bailey Patricia Baldwin Harold Bass Caroline Bell Libby Bellinger Stacy Blackmon Doris Blackwell Carolyn Blevins Margaret Brooks Tara Brooks Caralie Nelson Brown Ann and Kent Brown Brenda and Reid Buckelew Charles and Diane Bugg Eileen Campbell-Reed Megan Carter Susan and Tony Cartledge Ali Chappell Betsy Cherry Cindy and Ryan Clark Scott Claybrook Elizabeth Coates Reba Cobb Allyson and Matt Cook Dolores and Melvin Cooper Cherilyn Crowe Jim and Susan Crumpler Jayne Davis Leah Grundset Davis Ronald Davis Amelia and Paul Debusman Ruth Demby Deneise Dillon Melanie Dover Tillie Duncan Greg Earwood Charlotte Epley Amy Joyner Finkelberg Sue Fitzgerald Betsy Flowers Mary and Scott Foskett Marie Fox Charles Fuller Penny Gammill Don Garner Neita Geilker Chris George Karen Gilbert Steve Graham Libby Grammer Brenda Hafer Janice Hale Kate Hanch Natalie Hardeman Nikki Hardeman Ed and Judy Hare Genie Hargrove Merianna Harrelson John Harris Mary Nell Harris Janice Haywood Claire Helton William Craig Henry Diane Hill Dan Hobbs Dock Hollingsworth Dalen and Shari Jackson Barbara Johns Frances and Joseph Jones Richard Kahoe Elizabeth Kennett Jay Kieve Cheryl Kimble Vallerie King Brittany Krebs Melissa Kremer Joe Laguardia Judy Landon Day Lane Deirdre LaNoue Nancy Lee Laura Levens Linda Lewis Deborah Loftis Jewel London Angela Lowe Nora Lozano Jane Lyon Joan and Terry Maples Molly T. Marshall Adell and Jerry Martin Gloria and Phill Martin Susan and Tom Martin Juanita Maxey Melody Maxwell Rebecca Husband Maynard Judy McCall Carol McEntyre Hannah McMahan David and Sarah Murray Natasha Nedrick Esther Soud Parker Randy Parks Stephanie Patterson Suzii Paynter Julie Pennington-Russell Roger Pittard Bill and Ruth Pitts LeDayne Polaski Peggy Sanderford Ponder Aurelia Pratt Kimberly Priddy Bo Prosser Susan Reed Brittany Riddle Alexia Riggs Lorita and Mac Robinson Linda Rogers Patti and Royce Rose Anthony Mark Roza Ro Ruffin Kenda Russell Rob and Janie Sellers Paula Settle Rachel Gunter Shapard Jo Ann Sharkey Crystal Shepherd Kathy Shereda Delores Smith James and Debra Smith Layne Smith Kelsey Stillwell Laura Stephens-Reed Clarissa Strickland Stephanie Swanson Bill and Leta Tillman Kristen Tucker Tommy Valentine Carrie Veal Brent and Nancy Walker Rhonda Walton Christa Warise Chris and Kara Wheeler Amy Whittington Mark and Rebecca Wiggs Chris and Amy Wilkins Jessica and Daren Williams Jean Willingham Ann and David Wilson Barbara and Wade Wood Tiffany Wright Joyce Cope Wyatt Ouida Wyatt Brett and Carol Younger CHURCHES Grace Baptist Church, Richmond, VA Lamberth Memorial Baptist Church, Roxboro, NC Northminster Baptist Church, Jackson, MS Ball Camp Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN Beulah Baptist Church, Deveraux, GA Blacksburg Baptist Church, Blacksburg, VA Broadway Baptist Church, Louisville, KY Calvary Baptist Church, Asheville, NC Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, TX Community Baptist Church, Milledgeville, GA Cornerstone Church, Snellville, GA First Baptist Church, Abilene, TX First Baptist Church, Ahoskie, NC First Baptist Church, Asheville, NC First Baptist Church, Dalton, GA First Baptist Church, Greenville, SC First Baptist Church, Gretna, VA First Baptist Church, Madison, NC Greenwood Forest Baptist Church, Cary, NC Haddock Baptist Church, Haddock, GA Hayes Barton Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC Milledge Avenue Baptist Church, Athens, GA Northside Baptist Church, Clinton, MS Pintlala Baptist Church, Pintlala, AL Second Baptist Church, Liberty, MO Second Baptist Church, Lubbock, TX Smoke Rise Baptist Church, Stone Mountain, GA Watts Street Baptist Church, Durham, NC Williamsburg Baptist Church, Richmond, VA ORGANIZATIONS Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Smyth & Helwys Publishers Campus Ministries, Carson Newman University Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Arkansas Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of North Carolina Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of South Carolina Cooperating Baptist Fellowship of Oklahoma Seminaries Baptist Seminary in Kentucky Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond Baylor University s Truett Seminary Campbell University Divinity School Central Baptist Theological Seminary Duke University Divinity School Gardner-Webb University School of Divinity Hardin-Simmons University s Logsdon Seminary Mercer University s McAfee School of Theology Wake Forest University Divinity School Gifts Made in Honor or Memory Jim and Susan Crumpler in memory of Carolyn Crumpler Alex Durso in honor of Pam Foster in memory of Marjorie Graves in honor of and Ashley Robinson Kathleen Hanch in honor of Sue Murphy Jasper Caleb Hopkins in honor of Ellen Sechrest Nora Lozano in honor of Catherine B. Allen Jewel London in honor of Molly T. Marshall in honor of Angela Lowe Julie Pennington-Russell in honor of Dorisanne Cooper Paula Settle in honor of Trudy Johnson Stephanie Moody Shaffer in honor of 4 5

self-care: WHAT IF WE TRIED a Little Amplification Ain t Nobody Got Time for That by W hen I first began to hear about the importance of self-care for ministers, I thought, that sounds nice.

My philosophy was to take care of myself every now and then so that I did not burn out. If I am being honest, the idea of selfcare just seemed selfish.

Now, seven years into ministry, I still don t have time for selfcare.

4 self-care: WHAT IF WE TRIED a Little Amplification Ain t Nobody Got Time for That by W hen I first began to hear about the importance of self-care for ministers, I thought, that sounds nice. But I also thought, in the words of YouTube sensation Kimberly Sweet Brown Wilkins, Ain t nobody got time for that. I interpreted self-care to be optional or as needed. My philosophy was to take care of myself every now and then so that I did not burn out. If I am being honest, the idea of selfcare just seemed selfish. I felt guilty stopping to care for myself when it seemed like there were so many other more important things that needed to be done. Now, seven years into ministry, I still don t have time for selfcare. There are always more s that need to be sent; more people who need pastoral care and encouragement; more plans need to be made for church events or community endeavors. Yet despite the relentless busyness of ministry, I now choose to make time for self-care. I have discovered that it is absolutely necessary for my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being, and the well-being of those whom I serve. Because I have watched seasoned ministers who prioritize self-care continue to thrive in beautiful ways for years into their ministry. The BWIM Leadership Team and Staff : Taryn Deaton, Lynn Brinkley, Deborah Reeves, Ashley Robinson,,, Starlette McNeill, Tambi Swiney, and Scott Claybrook 6 by Because I have seen even more seasoned ministers burn out at both ends and become cynical, jaded, unhealthy, and exhausted. Because I have learned the hard way what happens when I do not take care of myself. Because our church is in an interim period, and all the sudden, I am the only full-time ministerial staff person. I certainly do not have a lot of extra time these days, but I know that if I do not make time to care for myself, I cannot be present to my congregation in the ways that are most needed right now. I love what Parker Palmer has to say about self-care in his book, Let Your Life Speak. He says, Self-care is never a selfish act it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer others. Anytime we can listen to the true self and give it the care it requires, we do so not only for ourselves but for the many others whose lives we touch. These days I am trying to follow Parker Palmer s advice. I am relentlessly carving out time in my schedule for the things that feed my soul, for the activities that nurture and strengthen my body, for time with the people with whom I can simply be me, for friends in ministry who understand this life and journey with me through it, for the simple pleasures that give me great joy, and for the God who continues to abide faithfully with me, even when I think I have more important things to do than to abide faithfully with God. Friends, if you and I are to follow in the way of Jesus, who taught us to love God and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves, then that includes truly loving ourselves and allowing ourselves to be loved. May we be people who daily choose to make time for that. is associate pastor at Calvary Baptist Church, Waco, Texas. A mplification. It was not a new word to me, but it was a new use of the word. Back in September 2016, the Washington Post ran a story about female staffers at the White House, who had adopted a meeting strategy that they called amplification. The story goes like this... and it is a familiar one for women in all professions, but even more so for women ministers. Back in 2009, when President Barack Obama took office, the majority of his staff was male, and the few presidential female staff members often found themselves excluded from meetings not invited to the table or welcomed to the conference. When those women finally did make it into a meeting, their voices were ignored. Does that sound familiar? All too often women ministers have been overlooked, discounted, or even snubbed, and when the invitation finally arrives to participate, our voices are unheard. Recently, I was in a meeting with fifty or so religious leaders the majority of those were male executives of denominations or faith organizations. There were only a handful of women in the room. I sat quietly at the table I am a listener by nature, but after a while, I wasn t listening to the words spoken, I was listening for female voices. Somewhere along the way, I realized that none of the women, all of whom are also leaders in their faith groups, none of those women spoke up. The men dominated the conversation, and when finally a woman made a comment, she was hesitant and spoke very briefly. I left that meeting greatly disturbed not because what had happened was a surprise to me, but disturbed because the women present that day were exceptionally brilliant and gifted. Some of them make their living by speaking or preaching. And yet at that table, they did not feel comfortable enough to offer their opinion. This is where amplification comes in. After President Obama took office, his female staffers began talking among themselves. They recognized their shared dilemma of not being heard. So together they adopted the amplification strategy. They decided that when a woman spoke up at a meeting and offered insight or made a suggestion, another woman would immediately repeat the first woman s words and give her credit her name would be called and her ideas affirmed. Their strategy encouraged the women to speak up to share their opinions. The strategy also forced the male staffers and even the president to recognize the women s contributions. One of the female staffers noted, We just started doing it, and made a purpose of doing it. It was an everyday thing. The president noticed, she said, and he called on women more often. During his second term, women made advances. Their voices were heard and taken seriously. Their speaking on behalf of one another and affirming each other s words and ideas helped change a male-dominated environment. After reading the Washington Post story (thanks to my friend, Tambi Swiney, who told me about it), I started wondering what amplification would look like if we as women ministers adopted it as our strategy. What if we spoke out on behalf of each other? What if we publicly affirmed each other s words and gifts? What if we intentionally credited each other and spoke the names of those with good ideas out loud? What if we boldly recommended one another to pulpit committees, conference planners, book editors? What if we amplified our minister sisters? What if... what if we lived as a sisterhood committed to amplification? is the executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry, Atlanta, Georgia. 7

Baptist Women in Ministry P. O. Box 941294 Atlanta, GA 31141-1294 Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No.

gifts of women. Lynn Clanton, a lifelong member of the church and a former music director, says of Grace, Sixty plus years ago, this was a pretty typical Southern Baptist church.

5 Baptist Women in Ministry P. O. Box Atlanta, GA Address Service Requested Non-Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 11 Athens, GA A CHURCH THAT GIVES Grace Baptist Church, Richmond, Virginia Grace Baptist Church in Richmond, Virginia, founded in 1833, has for many years nurtured and encouraged the callings and gifts of women. Lynn Clanton, a lifelong member of the church and a former music director, says of Grace, Sixty plus years ago, this was a pretty typical Southern Baptist church. It certainly is not now. It has been a gradual change from accepting women in ministry positions to having lots of diversity in memberships. I like who we are now. Wanda Sauely Fennell, the minister of music, echoes that sentiment. She and her family were drawn to Grace in part by its stance on women: It was very important for us for our daughters to see women in leadership roles in the church. For over twenty-five years, Grace has lived out that commitment. In 1991, the church called Betty Pugh Mills as minister of church family life, and six years later, the congregation named her as their pastor. Betty served in that role from 1997 to 2013, when she was called as pastor by Hampton Baptist Church in Hampton, Virginia. In July 2015, Grace called a new pastor, Courtney Allen, who served on the BWIM Leadership Team from Baptist Women in Ministry gives thanks for Grace Baptist Church and is grateful for the church s consistent and faithful support since BWIM is also greatly appreciative of Grace member Judith Bledsoe Bailey, who also served on the BWIM Leadership Team from Grace s support and ongoing contributions make possible BWIM s work of advocating, connecting, and networking. You too can be a supporter. Give online at or send in a contribution to Baptist Women in Ministry, P.O. Box , Atlanta, GA Courtney Allen Photo credit: Makayla Levison

GATHERING THE FRAGMENTS

ocare V a voice for women in baptist life VOLUME 10, NO. 1, SPRING 2016 IN THIS ISSUE GATHERING THE FRAGMENTS 2 You Are Invited Celebrate and Worship with Baptist Women in Ministry 3 Baptist Women in Ministry