Taking the Next Step

I’ve spent some time reading the twitter feed about Rachel Held Evans at #becauseofRHE.  Many women have expressed that because of Rachel and her words and books, they are now pastors or other kinds of ministers in their churches.  I have to add my story to the list now too.

Tomorrow I will take my first class to become a certified lay minister in the United Methodist Church.

I don’t know right now exactly what this means in my life.  According to UMC bylaws, “a certified lay minister is a certified lay servant, certified lay missioner, (or equivalent as defined by his or her central conference), who is called and equipped to conduct public worship, care for the congregation, assist in program leadership, develop new and existing faith communities, preach the Word, lead small groups, or establish community ministries as part of a ministry team with the supervision and support of a clergy person.”  So right now I just know that this step will create some opportunities that aren’t available to me now.

I have long felt the call of God in my life to serve Him in whatever ways He led.  I have been a children’s ministry leader, a Sunday School teacher, a missionary to Canada and a leader in many of the activities of the churches I have attended.  But a few years ago I began to feel that God was calling me to even more.  That’s why I am going down this path now… to see what’s next and to make myself available to it.

It’s not lost on me that I’m sixty-one years old, and that I’m coming late to the game.  But every step I take in this direction may make it easier for the next woman to consider this path for herself. 

Recently I wrote a poem about the changes I have undergone in the past few years.  

            A New Song

The record spins

And plays its tune,

Its melody etched in each groove,

The perfect performance every time.

There is some satisfaction in that perfection.

No need to change a thing...

Until a scratch

Impedes the progress

Of the needle,

And a word or note

Repeats

Repeats

Repeats

A New Song emerges

Alive

Varied

Improvised

No longer

Restrained or confined.

The beauty of the New Song

Steels my heart.

Rachel Held Evans was one of the causes of the scratch I talk about in this poem.  She made me think about what I believe and challenged me. But Rachel was also a voice that helped me find a new song, and to have the courage to sing it out loud.  I will always be grateful for that.