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Need Help? If you need immediate help , our team of women is available to support you by brainstorming your next steps, joining you for a confidential meeting or conversation, or stepping in as an advocate, as the situation requires. First Name Last Name Email Choose an option Reason for Contacting Message Send Thanks for contacting us! One of our team members will get back to you within one week.

Job Openings On this page we have assembled links to FMC USA job opening lists in areas that are specifically seeking applications from women. If you know of others, please let us know! Email Us The River Conference This Conference specifically encourages applications from women, minority groups, veterans, and people with disabilities. The Center for Pastoral Formation The Center for Pastoral Formation hires instructors who have at least 18 hours of graduate credits in the subject they want to teach: Apply here . Central Region Conference The Central Region Conference posts job opening, including for senior pastor, at this link .

Share Your Story Personal stories from women about their leadership journeys Your identity will not be published (unless otherwise requested.) This information is for our verification purposes. Email Name Conference/Church Share your story Do you wish to remain anonymous? * Yes No Phone Position Held If you want to be identified, please email a headshot and a short (3 sentence) bio Send Thanks for your submission. We’ll get back to you shortly.

Marriage and Engagement Resources No matter what you are looking for, this article is a great place to start: Biblical Marriage: Leading and Serving Together by Jada A. Swanson and Jon E. Swanson Don't forget our book recommendations , too. Resources for Marriage Ministry Pre-Marriage Survey for Counseling Engaged Couples: Symbis Assessment Pre-Marriage and Marriage Survey: Prepare-Enrich Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs is a best-selling, but problematic, book . It does not align with Free Methodist beliefs and therefore should not be used in FM churches. CBE's Bookstore can be trusted to only carry egalitarian resources. 2008 National Survey : Egalitarian Marriages Happier than Complementarian Ones (This link downloads a .pdf) AWL recommends: Created for Connection by Sue Johnson Boundaries in Marriage by Henry Cloud and John Townsend 7 Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman (secular book) Be sure and check out other resources by looking up publishers, denominations and/or authors here , or researching their stands on marriage equality for yourself. Combatting Common Misconceptions Men are not sex-fueled robots by Micah J. Murray Motherhood is not a woman's primary calling, but rather part of the cult of domesticity foisted on women by the reformation: Is motherhood the highest calling for women? by Marg Mowczko A Medieval Makeover: Women’s Roles Before and After the Reformation by Michele Arndt God's Protection of Women: when abuse is worse than divorce by Herb Vander Lugt Humor: If Men Got the Titus 2 Treatment by Rachel Held Evans See also videos on our video page such as: Does God Say, "I Hate Divorce"? Headship in Ephesians "What Were You Wearing?" The Theology of Gender

How To's Whether you want to better recognize sexism or to put practices in place that promote balanced leadership, the articles below can help. Also check out our book recommendations . What does sexism look like? It's Time to Start Recognizing Sexism in the Church by Janel Apps Ramsey The Subtle Hazing of Women in Ministry by Jill M. Richardson Becoming a Champion of Women: One Pastor’s Journey by Larry Walkemeyer Why Hiring Women is Not Enough: Tokenism and the "Problem" Woman of Colour by Kira Page The Problem When Sexism Just Sounds So Darn Friendly... by Melanie Tannenbaum The Ambivalent Sexism Inventory : Can you recognize the different faces of sexism? We Are Feminine (But We Won’t Fit In Your Box) by Tara Beth Leach The "Feminization" of the Church by Kristen Rosser The abrasiveness trap: High-achieving men and women are described differently in reviews by Kieran Snyder A Jesus for Real Men: What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong by Brandon O'Brien Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic 3 Female Ghosts that Haunt the Church by Jen Wilkin Roundup of Concerns with the ESV Women Rising: The Unseen Barriers by Herminia Ibarra, Robin J. Ely, and Deborah M. Kolb Organizational Resistance to Women in Ministry by Edward C. Lehman. Email AWL for full article . How can we support women and build egalitarian environments? Local Church Assessment of Women's Full Inclusion Creating Discussion Spaces Where Women Are Heard by Jill M. Richardson Raising Up Allies: A Standardized Pathway for Developing Men into Allies to Women by Rob Dixon If you would rather listen to an audio version of this material, see Becoming an Ally: A Roadmap for Men Who Aspire to Advocate for Women . How to Find a Church that Empowers Women by Ruth Martin Would someone looking for such a church choose yours? The Billy Graham Rule, or Why Men in Ministry Need to Meet with Women Roundup Seventeen Resources on Women and Men in Mutual Leadership by Chris Morton How to Become a Church that Welcomes Women Pastors by Jill M. Richardson Learning from My Mistakes: Being Intentional about Practicing Egalitarianism by Charles M. Metcalf 9 Ridiculously Practical Ways for Male Leaders to Empower Female Leaders in the Church by J. R. Briggs Caring for the Mothers in Our Midst: The Church’s Responsibility 8 Reasons to Stop Saying ‘Men’ When We Mean Everyone by Karl Vaters Interrupting Sexism at Work: What Drives Men to Respond Directly or Do Nothing? (Report) by Negin Sattari, PhD , Emily Shaffer, PhD , Sarah DiMuccio, PhD , Dnika J. Travis, PhD Plus a couple of suggestions from AWL: Make your presenters list as diverse as you want your audience to be. Let Women Ask the First Question in Q & A and Discussion Meetings: How To's for Women in Ministry Six Tips for Taking Center Stage by Jill M. Richardson No Need to Downplay Your Leadership by Jill M. Richardson "Tiara Syndrome" Do you have a tendency to put your head down, work hard, and hope someone will eventually notice and reward you with promotion? Some of us do, too! Here's what that is, and how to do something different. See also videos on our video page , such as: Everyday Sexism Lead Stories and websites such as CBE International and The Junia Project will all have lots of help and support .

The vision of Advocates for FM Women in Leadership is to help lead the Free Methodist Church USA toward an egalitarian culture in its entirety, including marriage and ordination, theory and practice. Podcasts and Websites Newly Added Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil will blow your socks off with her discussion of stepping into our callings of resisting both sexism and racism. Her wisdom and passion are sorely needed in the FMC today. Rev. Dr. Jill Richardson recently spoke as a guest for FM's Light & Life Podcast on the topic of Advocating for Women in Church Leadership. She gives us five action points--simple steps to take so that we can live what we believe. We are so excited for this invitation and the wisdom she shared. Enjoy! Rev. Dr. Laura J. Hunt gave us an overview of approaches to biblical interpretation that we can use to make sure that our sermons are empowering to women. Check out her five points below! Service Name AWL Jan event Rev. Dr. Laura J. Hunt 00:00 / 52:35 Bible stories that do not seem to empower women might benefit from removing layers of biased interpretations (Samaritan woman, John 4) being seen through the lens of liberation (Syrophoenician woman, Mark 7) being put into conversation with other texts that empower women (Luke 8:1-3 and many others) being used as discussion starters in which women are listened to (Dinah, Gen 34) being passed over in silence until we get a better handle on them (Bathsheba, 2 Sam 11-12). Lead Stories On this podcast, Steph Williams O'Brien and Jo Saxton discuss leadership issues such as burnout, breakthrough, and self-leadership. Check out this one on True Empowerment ! Marg Mowczko Marg does a fabulous job of digging into the Bible and making clear the behind-the-scenes academic discussions about the texts that are used to limit or support women. The Junia Project On this website, Gail Wallace and Kate Wallace Nunneley provide resources on biblical equality, equipping women, and resourcing the church. Holiness in Black & White: Women, Race, and Sanctification Drawing on two decades of research, Dr. Priscilla Pope-Levison focuses on Wesleyan/Holiness women evangelists in the early 20th century, including Emma Ray, an African American who preached in Seattle rescue missions alongside SPU students and went on to become a Free Methodist Conference Evangelist. This was the 2013 Walls Lecture in Wesleyan Theology at Seattle Pacific University. CBE International CBE (Christians for Biblical Equality) is THE website for all things related to the equal partnership of women in the church and church teaching. With 400 audio files , over 2000 blog posts and magazine articles , close to 1000 academic articles , almost 300 book reviews , and 90 videos , not to mention courses , you should be able to find information on all aspects of this topic. Women and Church Standings A quick reference page for various people and denominations who have a stated position on women's roles. Not exhaustive. 2013_05_01_L_Priscilla_Pope_Levison 00:00 / 1:12:21 Free Methodist Feminist Christy Mesaros-Winckles gives us the history of debates around women's roles in the FMC, and the women and men who fought them. Sorry Watch This website analyzes examples of apologies in contemporary culture and measures them against their standards for a good apology . Becoming an Ally: A Roadmap for Men Who Aspire to Advocate for Women by Rob Dixon If you would rather read a written version of this material, see Raising Up Allies: A Standardized Pathway for Developing Men into Allies to Women.

Hello On April 27, we met to talk about telling our stories. The stories of our journeys into ordination and into leadership in the church are important. Dr. Chanequa Walker-Barnes points out that we need to have places where we can tell those stories without having to worry about someone else’s feelings, where we can simply and honestly feel our own. So—think about your stories and the places you have and have not been able to tell them. What were the barriers? How is telling those stories important to you? Have other people tried to tell your story, and how has that gone? Have you tried to tell your story and what was the result? Who Tells Your Story? Jill Richardson's blog post on Telling Our Stories Laura Hunt's sermon on Telling Our Stories "Seriously?" Men try to tell women's stories Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's talk: "The Danger of a Single Story"--the rest of the story Holy Calling: Daily Wisdom from Women in Ministry Submit Story for AWL Blog Anonymous posts on our blog are ways to let the FMC know about some of the injustices in our midst without threatening people's positions, careers, or futures. Who Tells Your Story?

< Back Imagining Equity Daniel Williams Sep 21, 2022 The gifts of Christian feminist theology Summary:'Christian feminist theology challenges traditional theology and church practices that have restricted half of God's people from serving Go and the church as priests, pastors, teachers, and baptizers. this book offers a constructive argument and biblical examples to suggest a dynamic adaptation and revision of customs in narratives, prophecy, and wisdom, including especially the incarnation and in Jesus's life and teaching. After carefully defining "feminism" and examining the biblical text, the author emphasizes that outsiders and "othered" peoples are represented in the Bible as loved and used by God, even though the privileged have actively discriminated against them and continue to do so both in and out of ecclesial structure. Christian feminists seek to find, listen to, and raise the voices of women and others' experiences through diverse means, in order to contribute to the spread of the gospel, redemption, and justice for all.' Karen Strand Winslow (Author), United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry (U.S.) (Issuing body) Previous Next

In this section of our website, we would like to invite you to join us in the work of dismantling thought patterns and institutional processes that hinder and harm women, replacing them in ways that support equity for all. This is work that all women and men within the denomination are called to do. Curated resources to continue your education on women and church culture. And while we are learning: 9 Phrases Allies Can Say When Called Out Instead of Getting Defensive by Sam Dylan Finch Introduction (below) Video Corner Book Recommendations Podcasts and Websites Forgiveness and Repair Articles Biblical Interpretation and Tradition How To's Marriage and Engagement Resources Abuse and #MeToo The So-Called "Feminization" of the Church Event-Themed Resource Pages: Discouragement Who Tells Your Story? Teaching Opportunities for FMCUSA FMC Women's Dissertation Corner Introduction In this section of our website, we would like to invite you to join us in the work of dismantling thought patterns and institutional processes that hinder and harm women, replacing them in ways that support equity for all. This is work that all women and men within the denomination are called to do. It includes: taking seriously the stories of FMC women who have faced obstacles to leadership, and prioritizing dismantling those obstacles over protecting the status quo. (Read more on the blog.) reading the resources provided, sitting with the discomfort they may cause, and allowing this new knowledge to change previous patterns of thought and behavior. repenting* for participation in the marginalization of women in the FMC in the past with the hope of reconciliation and co-ministry moving forward. implementing new models of family and church leadership in current spheres of influence, based on collaboration and mutual regard. Repenting includes: (1) confessing to a same-gender partner the specific instances of participation in male supremacy, acknowledging sorrow for harm done and accepting responsibility for participating in the marginalization of women; (2) making restitution when possible and apologizing to the person/s impacted, if doing so would not cause further harm to that/those persons; (3) taking specific action/s to prevent further occurrences; (4) implementing a specific plan for rebuilding trust, [Adapted from Gary Chapman's The Five Languages of Apology ] Note that if you have harmed specific women, you will harm them further by expecting them to go through this process alongside you. Part of repentance includes acknowledging their feelings and their timetable. If they are unwilling to reconcile, take that as evidence of the size of the harm you caused, not the size of their faith.

Video Corner Watch these videos to learn more about women in ministry, egalitarian marriages, the history of women in Christianity, or anti-sexism. To see more resources organized by topic, go to this page . Humility We often expect humility to look like stepping aside, away from the spotlight, and giving authority, credit, or an assignment to someone else. In this video, Dr. Christena Clevalend explains what humility looks like from a marginalized position. Does God say, "I hate divorce"? Malachi 2:15 is sometimes cited out of context, used to prolong marriages that have long ceased to be places of Shalom. In this video, Gretchen Baskerville takes us through this passage and gives us its context. Why do women preach? When so many churches oppose women preachers, why do some of us insist on preaching anyway? In this compilation, a series of women pastors explain. The Pushback What happens when women preach? Sometimes there is pushback. Here are examples from the NC Synod of the ELCA. If you ever wondered what microaggressions are, these are examples. Headship in Ephesians Laura J. Hunt goes through the meaning of the word for "head" in the ancient world and its uses throughout Ephesians to explain the meaning of headship in Eph 5:23 (CEB): "A husband is the head of his wife like Christ is head of the church, that is, the savior of the body." Adventures in Sexist Hermeneutics 1 Timothy 2:12 is often used to prohibit women's preaching. In this video, Jamin Hübner takes us through the principles of good hermeneutics (interpretation) and shows us the problems with this understanding. The powerpoint for this talk is here . The Theology of Gender In this series of 11 videos, Ron Pierce teaches a course on the Theology of Gender at Biola University. Each video is approximately 90 minutes long. The first video starts here; click here for the whole playlist. Theology of Suffering Because Christians follow a suffering Messiah, suffering itself is sometimes held up as virtuous. Such a theology has historically failed to motivate Christians to alleviate suffering, for abused women among others. Much has been written on different models of suffering. In her book, Race & Rhyme , Love Sechrest writes, "Paul emphasizes suffering that is endured--not embraced--as part of the cost of following the way of Jesus in ministering life and liberation to others in this life." Raquel A. St. Clair writes about suffering in Call and Consequences: A Womanist Reading of Mark , summarized here . This video, by Laura J. Hunt, offers a few thoughts. The Danger of Civility Church leaders sometimes dismiss critics, labeling them "angry," "bitter," or "too demanding." In this video Christena Cleveland explains the importance of listening to those who do not always make us comfortable in the way they present their information. Intersectionality In recent years, the term "intersectionality" has come under attack. Watch in this video how Kimberlé Crenshaw, the author of the term, explains why we need a term that allows us to address the way sexism and racism are not just overlayed on top of each other but manifest differently in various women's lives. What Were You Wearing? To help our culture move away from victim blaming, this display demonstrates that sexual assault is not about uncontrolled lust but about expressing power. Therefore, women's clothing is irrelevant to this particular discussion. Everyday Sexism A quick 2-minute video with examples of small changes you can make that will have a big impact. Listening to Michal Rev. Dr. Kristina LaCelle-Peterson takes us through the story of Michal in a way that values her contribution and reminds us to listen well. Forgiveness An overview of helpful ways to define forgiveness. For more, see the resources listed here . Lived Experience Using volunteer actors to protect the identity of the women involved, this movie allows Free Methodist women to tell their stories in their own words. Rev. Dr. Roberta Mosier-Peterson explains and narrates.

Abuse and #MeToo See the resources below for understanding, preventing, and responding to abuse in the church. To begin with, the following phrases should be avoided at all cost! Practices to Avoid Cycle of Abuse: When an Abuser Uses the Church by Center for Family Violence Prevention; church version by Kaitlin Shetler How the Misuse of Matthew 18 Bullies Abuse Survivors Into Silence by Russell Meek Why Adult Victims of Clergy Sexual Abuse Are Not to Blame by Mark Scheffers What Were You Wearing? Exhibit at DSU dispels myths on sexual assault (video) 4 Problems with Andy Savage’s Apology by Ashley Easter She's Not That into You : how men overrate women's interest How Clergy Sexual Misconduct Happens: A Qualitative Study of First-Hand Accounts by Diana R. Garland & Christen Argueta Resources for Addressing Abuse Resources from GRACE: Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment The Mend Project . Many resources, but particularly check out their "Tools for Pastors" on their Tools + Resources page. History of Violence Checklist : an eye-opening list of behaviors that constitute abuse Abuse Prevention Healthy Boundaries videos (English only) and workbooks (English and Spanish). Many other resources are also available through this database of resources on gender-based violence . What You in the Congregation Need to Know about Clergy Misconduct (English and Spanish). How To Raise Strong Girls (and Boys!) in an Age of #MeToo by Jill M. Richardson A Tale of Two Rapes: What Tamar and Bathsheba Teach Us About Power, Consent, and Sexual Violence by Erin Moniz Understanding Sexual Abuse By a Church Leader or Caregiver by the Mennonite Central Committee See also videos on our video page , such as: Theology of Suffering The Danger of Civility Intersectionality Some of our book recommendations will also provide best practices to recognize and avoid abuse.

Crafting GC Resolutions and Gaining Support Panelists include: Bruce Cromwell, Denise Abston, Jen Starr-Reivitt, and Collene Carney. Colleen Carney Coming Soon Jen Starr-Reivitt Lead Pastor, Compass Point Church Denise Abston Assistant Superintendent for the Central Region Conference Bruce Cromwell Superintendent of the Central Region Conference