Chloe's Circle: "Race Matters: On Racial Justice and Racial Reconciliation

AUGUST 12-13, 2011
"RACE MATTERS: ENGAGING ISSUES OF RACIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL RECONCILIATION"

The 2011 Chloe's Circle is graciously hosted by Chicago Theological Seminary and generously supported financially by The Styberg Preaching Institute at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

Great time of thinking, collaborating, and working on sermons with Alice Hunt, president of CTS, Brenda Salter-McNeil, Elizabeth Soto, Gennifer Benjamin Brooks, and others. Chloe’s Circle is a weekend gathering of preaching women of different ethnic/racial backgrounds to foster deep conversations, understanding among different people, sermon crafting, and collaboration for future works of justice.

Our hope is that sisters will come with a sister-friend of a different racial/ethnic group in order to work together on issues that deeply concern them, their faith communities, and the community at large. It should be a GREAT conversation and collaboration; powerful preaching, and excellent sermon-writing instructions.

Ministering to Women

As Clergy women who are not pastors, we have been drafted to work with the women of the congregation. Some clergy women do not have the gift to work with women at all. Yes working with certain gender and age group is a spiritual gift. There are some clergy women who do not get along with women at all but they try to work outside of their gift. When we do this we make a mess of things.

Have you notice when trying to work with women they are either open, closed or indifferent to a clergy woman being the leader or advisor. Most of the women do not want to work with clergy women who are younger than them because they haven't experienced what they did. Of course there are women who will work with us because they see we are gifted and really have the passion in this area to help with the issues we all face.

Before we take on the challenge let us make sure we are working within our gifts. Let us search and be honest with ourselves in the areas we are being drafted. If we know this isn't for us speak up now rather than later. We will thank God we listened to the spirit and not just our perception.
Always in the Potter's Hand
http://onthemoveministries.blogspot.com
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

S.O.S.

SOS is an international morse code distress signal. The use of this code was to alert other of the danger that is around them. This morning the meaning of SOS is "Support Our Sisters". As SistersNMinistry we need encouragement and support from each other. We need to be committed to this support by our action and words.

It is hard to get this kind of support when sisters are trying to tear each other down, destroy their character or even destroy their life. Competition, envy, jealousy, deceit and manipulations in the pulpit and ministry is not what we should be about. Over the past few years I experienced all and more from other sisters in ministry. The remarks were "I can do that better", "She preach like she's the pastor" or "Who put her in charge, well I'm not listening to her" and etc.

This type of attitude makes it hard to do ministry effectively. Let us remember,
God has given each of us unique gifts for ministry which can not be imitated by others. If we find ourselves off our wall and trying to do ministry outside of our gifts let us check to see why are we really do this.

Instead of tearing each other down let us build each other up. In order for us to accomplish more we must stand united. Let us send out the distress call for some real praying sisters who are committed to the reality of ministry.

Where are all the Women Preachers

The initial purpose of this blog was for Sisters in the Black Baptist Denomination due to limited resource and fellowship access with other Sisters in ministry. However, as I began discussing the concerns of SistersNMinistry I heard several Sisters say, "we need this type of fellowship and more". Therefore, this blog is a sounding board for us to express our concerns and testimonies in ministry, mentoring, providing support, encouragement and most of all just letting us be real with each other on this journey.

This fellowship is not limited to this blog. Also, I want to create a fellowship where we can meet as a group to discuss topics such as: How to create a ministry resume, What does it mean to be a Worship Leader, Where can I use my spiritual gifts in ministry, Is the pulpit for me, How can I balance Ministry, Work and Family, and etc...This is ourplace, a place where we can share notes and tips concerning our roles as pastors, teachers, chaplains, executive ministers, associate ministers and more.
I have traveled across this country and preached in so many pulpits. I connected with my sister preachers and once I return back home the e-mail would keep coming for a little while and next thing you know they are gone.

Please provide some feedback so we can make this blog a source of information. When you post your comments, give a shout out to your City and State. We want to world to know that we are proud Female Clergy of Color!

Charlotte, NC

Looking forward to hearing from you!!!