Had a good meeting with my presbyterial representative this morning. It was good to see him. Although his health doesn't look good at all. He's pushing 80 now and has had heart attacks, strokes and now may have prostate cancer! He said he would do everything possible to help me get another church if that is what I want. I told him I'm happy as a hospice chaplain. My denomination is simply not ready for women in the pulpit. There's no point in my trying to bang my head against the same brick wall again.
Had a nice talk with my 23 year old son today who said that it is truly amazing what I've done. He says he was too young to really remember it all clearly, but recognizes that I accomplished nothing short of a miracle in getting my ordination in this branch of the church. He said he's proud of me for the work I do now in hospice and that I've transcended the church by being more about God than the church. There is a lot to what he says, but I still need the church as my authority to do ministry. It just hurts to be so close and yet so far away.
My faith is strong and I feel grateful for my work and the ministry that God has given to me. I know this life is about human existence and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share my beliefs in things eternal. I also know it will all go by like a flash. It seems like only yesterday that I was the new kid on the block and LM (my breakfast mate) was the vibrant and present authority. Now he looks so old and beat down from the pressures of ministry. I'm probably better off not ever trying to serve as pastor of a church again and yet the thought just makes me want to weep.
...Lord make me an instrument...let me console rather than wish to be consoled...
Had a nice talk with my 23 year old son today who said that it is truly amazing what I've done. He says he was too young to really remember it all clearly, but recognizes that I accomplished nothing short of a miracle in getting my ordination in this branch of the church. He said he's proud of me for the work I do now in hospice and that I've transcended the church by being more about God than the church. There is a lot to what he says, but I still need the church as my authority to do ministry. It just hurts to be so close and yet so far away.
My faith is strong and I feel grateful for my work and the ministry that God has given to me. I know this life is about human existence and I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share my beliefs in things eternal. I also know it will all go by like a flash. It seems like only yesterday that I was the new kid on the block and LM (my breakfast mate) was the vibrant and present authority. Now he looks so old and beat down from the pressures of ministry. I'm probably better off not ever trying to serve as pastor of a church again and yet the thought just makes me want to weep.
...Lord make me an instrument...let me console rather than wish to be consoled...
1 comment:
Mommy, I think you should get another church. Not to make this sound bad or anything, but what you're doing by staying a chaplain is sitting around in the background waiting for something to just come you're way. You should be out, in your own church, in your own pulpit preaching the word of God. You should just ignore all the criticism for being a woman, just preach. That's what you wanted in the first place..wasn't it? To have ur own church?
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