Gifts to Share - Part 8

Conclusion

“Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.”  I Timothy 4:14.

I felt honored and blessed in my conversations with these women.  I am grateful to them for sharing their stories with me with openness and candor.  They were honest about some of the difficulties they have faced, but expressed an amazing amount of joy in their ministries.  Many of them said that our conversation was a blessing for them too, in giving them space to reflect on their ministries.

I hope that these stories will be encouraging for other women discerning a call to ministry, and that they will inspire meetings to consider the gifts waiting to be called out in their communities.

The Ministers

Linda C, member of Housatonic Friends Meeting, New York Yearly Meeting (FUM-FGC)
§    First recorded in Croton Valley Friends Meeting (1996)
§    Transferred her membership and her recording to Housatonic Friends Meeting

Patty L, member of Davidson Friends Meeting, North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
§    Recorded in Charlotte Friends Meeting, North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM) (late 1980s)
§    Lay down her recording when she transferred her membership to Davidson Friends Meeting

Ann M, member of South Bend Monthly Meeting, Illinois Yearly Meeting (FGC)
§    First recorded in Chester River Meeting, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting (1985)
§    Transferred her membership and recording to Clear Creek Monthly Meeting, then jointly affiliated with Indiana Yearly Meeting (FUM) and Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting (FGC) (1987)
§    Transferred her membership and recording to West Richmond Monthly Meeting, Indiana Yearly Meeting (1998)
§    Lay down her recording when she transferred her membership to South Bend Monthly Meeting (2007)

Peggy P, pastor of Freedom Friends Church (Independent)
§    First recorded in Northwest Yearly Meeting (1994)
§    Later recorded in Freedom Friends Church (2004)

Darla S, pastor of Rivers Way Community, Northwest Yearly Meeting (EFCI)
§    Recorded in Northwest Yearly Meeting (2010)

Deborah S, member of Friendship Friends Meeting, North Carolina Yearly Meeting (Conservative)
§    Recorded in Friendship Friends Meeting (1998)

Deborah S, pastor of First Friends Meeting, North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM)
§    Recorded in Iowa Yearly Meeting (1996)
§    Transferred her membership and recording to North Carolina Yearly Meeting (FUM)

Resources

Drayton, Brian. On Living with a Concern for Gospel Ministry.  Quaker Press of Friends General Conference, Philadelphia, PA (2006), especially pp. 164-78, “On Being a Recorded Minister,” and pp. 179-88, “Sample Annual Reports to Monthly Meeting.”

Grundy, Martha Paxson. Tall Poppies: Supporting Gifts of Ministry and Eldering in the Monthly Meeting.  Pendle Hill Pamphlet #347 (1999), especially pp. 17-22, “A Process for Recognizing and Recording Gifts.”

New York Yearly Meeting pamphlet Recording Gifts in Ministry

Northwest Yearly Meeting’s reading list for recording ministers


[From the research paper I wrote for the School of the Spirit on the stories of women from different branches of Friends who have been recorded as ministers.]