The purpose of this forum is to facilitate communication and mutual support and edification among those who strive toward gender justice in Churches of Christ. If you would like to join the forum, send an e-mail (including your first and last name) from your primary address to forum@gal328.org.
I just wanted to add a post with a link to the streaming (recorded) video of Mike Cope (Highland Church of Christ, Abilene TX) and Sara Barton (Rochester College chaplain) speaking at the 2002 "Look to the Hills" Worship Conference about women's gifts:
Women, Gifts and the Body of Christ
If you're a new user to DigiScript, click on the "New User Registration" link at the left. It's free; you just choose a password.
:::posted by Keith Brenton on 2/28/2005 03:58:00 PM
Jen, I so wanted to meet you but the week was crazy for us and I just couldn't make the 8:30 class. I looked for you around campus...just hoping we would run into each other. It is harder to attend the classes when you live in Abilene. We will meet some day. Isn't Teresa great? We love her.
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 2/26/2005 11:41:00 PM
The ACU Lectureship was a very positive experience for me--thanks to everyone who made it so. That includes Wiley and Tom Robinson for attending the class and participating in the discussion so vigorously. It was an 8:30am class, so I know it was a real sacrifice! It was really nice to see professors and friends in the room as I took a deep breath and plunged into teaching my first class in that particular venue. And Teresa was a great hostess and made my stay in Abilene fun and stress-free and just really wonderful.
Wiley noted the class on Huldah the prophetess. I would like to highlight the class on Annie C. Tuggle, which I was able to attend, as one well worth getting the recording of. This was the first class of a series of three, all of which centered around the history of African American Churches of Christ. Annie C. Tuggle (the initial is important, she had a cousin who was Annie B.) was a strong woman (the word "assertive" was used more than once!), and by all accounts universally respected by both men and women, both black and white. She published articles in the Gospel Advocate and wrote a 200-page autobiography. Her opinion was sought on matters of interpretation of Scripture and she once read Scripture at a gospel meeting for the preacher. Her influence on more well-known leaders in African American churches was explored, as well as her role as a leader in her own right. Other notable women in AACofC were mentioned, including Sylvia Rose, but Annie C. Tuggle was the main focus for this class. I report all of this from memory, and so this is just the surface--get the recording!
So now I'm back in NJ and there's 5 inches of snow on the ground, after walking around Abilene in sleeveless tops for 2 days! Very strange...
Jen
:::posted by Jennifer on 2/24/2005 09:32:00 PM
Julie, It was great being able to meet you. I also met your brother-in-law. Was that you who told LoryM to try to meet me? If it was, Thanks! We hadn't met before. She is at the late service more often than not and we go to the early. We had a very long talk (infact it delayed my departure by about two hours!) and I also enjoyed the company of her 11 year old daughter! Nice way to end up the Lectureship today. Been sick most of the last two days so I came on home to rest and try to recover before returning to work on Thursday.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------Jennifer, I really enjoyed your 2nd class (wish there hadn't been a conflict on the first!). That is a very interesting subject and one that has no real answer---YET! I think you should have hada third day and maybe a semi forum concept for the third class. Might have been real enlightening!----------------------------------------------------------------------------Katie, got to chat with your father-in-law for several minutes. Hadn't had that opportunity since last year. My daughter, Kristie, was at Eastside either the weekend before he announced his retirement or that weekend. Not sure which now.----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Also got to meet Tom Robinson from Manhattan CoC on Monday night. We had a nice chat but brief. Would love to see him at Lectureship teaching three classes on gender! A real priviledge to meet him.
Attended Bobby Valentine's class on Hulda! Bobby is in our camp on gender. His class on Hulda was excellent and should be a part of one of our web sites as we are taught very little about Hulda in adult Bible classes! She is a forgotten prophet and a very important prophet! I would recommend that anyone interested in gender and, especially Hulda, should order the CD for their library!
:::posted by Wiley on 2/22/2005 08:40:00 PM
Katie, we do respect your privacy and your need to wait to say it in the way that brings respect from all sides...not an easy thing to do. I will also pray for the Spirit to guide your words as you bring your story to the rest of us.
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 2/18/2005 11:50:00 PM
Thanks, Julie and others, for asking. Please know that the waiting feels right to me. I want to tread lightly here, speak the truth in love, express myself with candor while guarding Lance's and my privacy... The words have not come easily. So I'm waiting. Usually I don't, so let me try this for now.
In the meantime, your prayers for our transition are welcomed. God knows what God is doing, I feel mostly sure.
peace -- Katie
:::posted by Katie on 2/18/2005 09:27:00 AM
Katie, tell us your story. We would love to hear your plans. Also, we would love to pray for you and your side of all of this.
love, Julie
:::posted by julie on 2/17/2005 10:22:00 PM
Katie and Lance, wow, so many emotions coming to the surface after reading your article. The two of you have inspired and pushed and sometimes shushed us and have made a difference in so many lives. There is truly no way to thank you except to carry on with the struggle. Once the door was opened in my head around 16 years ago, I couldn't close it...even if I wanted to close it. It has been a rocky and frightening journey but it became smoother once there was a community to walk with. You have brought us together and tied our hearts to each other. Thank you for allowing the Spirit to move you to move us. Thank you for the willingness to put yourselves out there...for criticism, for growth, for the good of the Kingdom. Your words have taken so many to a different level in their spiritual walk and I know that Jesus has held you and walked with you and guided your words as you have spoken to us, pastored your church, parented your children, continued your education and worked to make the truth a reality for the Church of Christ. You didn't take this on because it would be easy but because it was good and right. I don't know you personally except for one short encounter with Katie at Pepperdine but I love you both for your integrity and grace-filled words. May God bless your journey and may you see some "progress" as a result of all the hard work you have done.
Lance, you have called us to continue standing and speaking up and encouraging...we will try...not always easy.
grace, Julie
:::posted by julie on 2/10/2005 11:05:00 PM
Dearest, dearest Katie -
I wait with the others to hear your own part of this story.
I just wanted to take a moment to remind you how important you've been on my own journey. I will always, always be grateful to you for having the courage to answer your calling. You've inspired, encouraged, paved a way for others, and esp. for me. This older woman has learned much from her younger sister!
I am grateful for Lance. A husband who supports his wife on such a journey is a treasure, indeed!
I lead singing on a rotation with two other women in our small CoC family - from the pulpit. (One man is in the rotation.) At 51, I never, ever thought I would see this in my lifetime. I look forward to the day when our pulpit is graced with a woman. If you are ever in south-central MO, it would be an honor to hear you speak God's Word to us.
You are so loved! May God continue guiding your footsteps on your journey.
-Vicki
:::posted by Vicki on 2/08/2005 01:50:58 PM
Friends,
Katie, Lance, and their two great kids will be greatly missed when they depart--whenever that actually happens. On behalf of the ministerial search committee of the West Islip Church of Christ, I have copied below the text of an ad used in recruiting applicants for the ministry position.
"The West Islip Church of Christ, located on the south shore of Long Island, New York, seeks a minister to provide preaching, teaching, and pastoral care. Candidate will nurture spiritual and numerical growth of a congregation that will return loving support and cooperation. Originally established in 1963 as Exodus Bay Shore, we are an ecumenical, a cappella, self-supporting church in which women and men serve together in all aspects of the church’s worship and body life. Attendance of 45-50 draws from a variety of church backgrounds. We are convenient to New York City, area airports, and nearby parks and beaches. See www.wichurch.org for more information. Master of Divinity or equivalent preferred as well as experience with various ministries. Women and men are encouraged to apply. Attractive salary and benefits. Parsonage provided. Send résumé, references, and audio/video tapes to Search Committee, West Islip Church of Christ, 600 Montauk Hwy., West Islip, NY 11795, or as email attachments to John White at jdwhite5@optonline.net. Starting date approximately June, 2005."
David Fritz
Amityville, NY
:::posted by Fritz on 2/06/2005 04:25:19 PM
Jen,
YES! Come stay at my apartment for lectureship! I was actually kind of disappointed because that Sunday a good friend of mine is preaching at Stamford and I wasn't able to be there. If you come and stay, however, that Sunday should be just as, if not more, exciting. Email me and we'll work out the details: tkp00a@acu.edu.
:::posted by TKP on 2/06/2005 01:15:24 PM
To Lance and Katie: Thanks, for the words, the example, the website, everything.
Teresa--is that offer of a place to stay during Lectureship still open? I might want to take you up on that.
Jen
:::posted by Jennifer on 2/06/2005 08:16:40 AM
Lance and Katie,
I heard through the "grapevine" that this was going to happen and was wondering when it would occur. You and Katie--especially Katie--have labored hard laying a foundation for the house we are all working on. Now it's time for the framing crew to carry on. The foundation you have laid for the framing crew to build on is as strong as any ever laid in the history of our movement and it won't be moved as the ground it sits on is the Rock of Ages!
The two of you have been an inspiration for many of us. The you were there when I discovered that I was not alone in the way I thought after a number of years of private study. What a joy that was to know there was a community of believers in the CoC who actually thought the same way!
Enjoy your time of rest and spiritual growth in the new direction you are taking and please keep us updated as to how things are going for you when the change occurs this summer and the time following.
:::posted by Wiley on 2/05/2005 08:06:55 AM
Hi, friends.
It's been good to see some conversation here recently. I've just posted a new article. No, really…I'm serious! Don't believe me? Take a look: "Change is in the Air"
Peace,
Lance
:::posted by Lance on 2/04/2005 09:05:52 PM
Just returned from Bible major's chapel and noted (again) how the only people leading worship were men. I distinctly remember signing up to read scripture or pray for major's chapel last year. I also recall asking one of my professors if I could sign up since I am female, and was encouraged to do so. I'm not sure why I even bothered, since I've never seen a woman participate in major's chapel for the four years I've been here. (The only exception was when Katie spoke a few years ago.) I wonder how long it will be until the other half of the Bible majors are allowed to share their gifts in worship.
Irie, I asked my professor to email you the list of resources. Hope they are helpful. I'll likely be doing a biographical sketch on Sylvia, so if you know any other resources, please do share.
:::posted by TKP on 2/02/2005 12:48:26 PM
archives
