"Resources for Clergywomen: Networks, Books, Beauty Tips and More!"

Resources for Clergywomen…

Half the battle of moving forward in anything is knowing where to go. Frequently, female clergy desire to make connections with other clergywomen, are looking for support and would like to know where to turn for guidance.

For those with the above mentioned inquiries, wonderful resources are available!

Today’s Shepastor highlights several resources such as websites, reading materials and networks for female clergy.

American Baptist Women in Ministry (ABWIM)

Check out the newsletter, “WOMENWORD”

Published semiannually, a wonderful series of articles from American Baptist women in ministry as well as conference reviews, updates on workshops and seminars, missions work, ministry projects and more!

Editor: Rev. Karen Pickler

To find WOMENWORD, visit the ABWIM on the web:
http://www.abc-usa.org/WhoWeAre/MinistryMission/ABCOrganizations/WomenInMinistry.aspx

Reading Resource:

A Time for Honor: A Portrait of African American Clergywomen, by Rev. Dr. Delores Carpenter, St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2001

“Historical, theological and sociological scholarship; denominational statistics; the author’s own survey and interview findings; and her own experiences as an African American female pastor all inform this important text honoring African American clergywomen.”

Using case studies, Dr. Carpenter provides an overview of a wide variety of issues and findings concerning the service of African American women clergy in today’s churches. She includes explorations of seminary and church official’s attitudes toward and perceptions about women as ordained clergy.

This wonderful resource may be purchased on Amazon.

Fidelia’s Sisters: A publication of the Young Clergy Women Project
The Network of the Young Clergy Women Project

Ann Bonner-Stewart, Founding Managing Editor

Fidelia's Sisters is an online publication by, for, and about young clergy women, with new material appearing on a rotating schedule over the course of a month. They publish short stories, visual art, poetry, liturgical resources, personal essays, reflections, interviews, book reviews, and more. They “strive to be a space where some of the professional and personal issues that young clergy women face are addressed with honesty, all the while recognizing that no one ‘kind’ of young clergy woman has a monopoly on who young clergy women are.”
Visit them at http://www.youngclergywomen.org/the_young_clergy_women_pr/about.html

For our United Methodist Sisters, the website below provides a beautiful array of articles, networking opportunities and research related to female clergy.

General Board of Higher Education and Ministry

Click on the link below to check out articles such as, “Women face a long road to change in the church.” Also available, a downloadable literary journal called, WellSprings, with reflections, essays, poetry and more – produced for clergywomen by clergywomen.

http://www.gbhem.org/site/c.lsKSL3POLvF/b.3474337/k.8FA4/Clergywomen.htm

From Duke Divinity School – Clergy Health Initiative…

http://divinity.duke.edu/initiatives-centers/clergy-health-initiative/connection/deeper-purpose-beauty

The Deeper Purpose of Beauty Tips for Women

“Beauty Tips for Ministers,” is a blog by the Rev. Victoria Weinstein, Harvard-educated pastor of First Parish Unitarian Church in Norwell, Mass. She started this blog, declaring, “If clergypeople believe that religious life is vital, relevant and beautiful, they should look the part.”

Concerning the blog, Duke Divinity commentator Courtney Wilder writes, “While chock-full of salient advice on how to navigate trends and potential beauty pitfalls, the blog’s true value stems from its ability to elevate women within the context of their profession. …What separates Weinstein’s approach from secular guides to professional dress are first, her ability to exercise pastoral care in guiding her readers, and second, her clear conviction that having (and dressing) a female body does not interfere with a pastor’s vocation. Indeed, Weinstein argues that for female clergy dressing one’s body ought to reflect both affirmation of one’s gender and acknowledgement of the leadership role of clergy within the community.

She identifies the tendency of some female clergy to efface their gender and/or sexuality in their professional attire and argues that this approach does no one any favors; instead, she advocates for a model of religious womanhood that is frankly feminine, and simultaneously highly professional and even sartorially conservative.”

Check out Rev. Weinstein’s “Beauty tips” at http://beautytipsforministers.com/

That’s it for today. Next week we will share additional resources for clergywomen. Do you have a resource(es) that would benefit sister clergy? Post a comment or send me an email at Shepastor1@hotmail.com

Until next Wednesday
In faith, hope and perseverance,
Pastor Chris
(If you are unable to directly click on website links above, highlight website address, then copy and paste into your brower)