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< Back ARCHETYPES on Spotify ALW Sep 21, 2022 Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. Meghan Markle has started a new podcast on Spotify that explores some of the language used to describe women. The first three are out and available here . Previous Next

< 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

Preac H er Sunday Sunday, December 1st, 2024 The Free Methodist Church ordains women. Sure, you know that. But does your congregation? The next PreacHer Sunday will be Sunday, December 1st, 2024. PreacHer Sunday is the first Sunday of each quarter. PreacHer Sunday dates for 2025 will be: March 2, June 1, September 7, and December 7. FMC women have difficulty getting appointed to senior positions, and when they do, large segments of the church often leave. One reason is that they never see a woman in leadership—or in the pulpit. We need to change that. You can’t accept what you’ve never imagined. You can’t imagine what’s never been. You can’t be what you don’t see. PreacHer Sunday is a joint initiative of the FM network Advocates for Women in Leadership and the Strategic Catalyst for Love Driven Justice. The goal is for every church in the FMC USA to have a woman deliver the main service message at least four times a year. AWL is ready to assist your church in accomplishing this goal in several ways: Suggestions for different ways this goal can be accomplished Suggestions of women who can preach/teach in your church A list of qualities you might look for in women in your congregation who can teach and preach Support for women in your congregation who have gifts of preaching but might be hesitant to speak on a Sunday morning Resources to teach your congregation about the importance and biblical welcome of women in ministry Contact us here to get started.

About Us A Brief History It’s difficult to write a history of advocacy for women in the Free Methodist church, because those of us on this team stand on the shoulders of so many women who have walked this path. When exactly did advocacy “start”? With the first FM woman who woke up one morning and said—“This is not right. I’m going to do something.” So many others have “done something” since. We are only the latest nine. We are grateful for their tireless, courageous work of education and advocacy. We build on it. AWLFMC started with a Facebook message between two of us in February 2021. “Do you want to do something?” “Yes.” We messaged four other amazing and brave women with the same question. They gave the same answer. And so here we are. Six of us as a core team began meeting monthly to decide what that something would be. We quickly determined it had to include resources for our pastors and leaders to learn more about the culture in North America and how it affects women, especially the church culture. We needed to talk honestly about what we’ve experienced and allow those stories to be heard, unvarnished. We wanted a gathering place for women in the FMC to feel heard, seen, valued, and energized. Above all, we want to advocate for women to be treated with the dignity and equality afforded to ezer kenegdo images of God—in the church, in leadership, in marriage—everywhere. AWLFMC continues to expand beyond its original six to include women at quarterly meetings where we can learn from one another's experience and hear their needs. We plan action teams to pursue different projects as expertise and passion dictate. If you’re interested in either of these options, contact us. Meet The Team Rev. Denise J. Abston, D.C.C. Denise J. Abston brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the Central Region Conference as Conference Administrator. She was the first female ordained in the more than 100 year history of what was the Mid-America Conference, served as lead pastor for four churches in Oklahoma as well as in many assistant roles. A member of both the Conference MEG/MAC and the BoA, she has also served as the Assistant to the Superintendent for several years. Dr. Denise received her Doctor of Christian Counseling degree from Omega Bible Institute and Seminary, as well as a Masters of Arts in Leadership in Ministry from Greenville University. With her education and experience she has taught courses primarily in philosophy and business at St. Gregory’s University as an adjunct professor. An office administrator and paralegal for the Oklahoma City law firm of Fenton, Fenton, Smith, Reneau & Moon, she has served as the chair of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee for the Association of Legal Administrators for the Oklahoma City chapter and was President of the chapter from 2014-2015. Dr. Denise also serves on the Butterfield Memorial Foundation Board and is chair of its governance committee. She is happily married to her husband Chuck, who has been very gracious in allowing her a great deal of freedom to explore all the avenues God has prepared for her. Rev. Amelia Cleveland-Traylor, MD Rev. Amelia Cleveland-Traylor, MD was ordained as elder in the FMC in 2005. Her ministry responsibilities have included pastoral care, praise and worship leader, women’s ministry director, youth ministry, small group leadership, and faith and fitness. Amelia has served on the MEG and MAC in the Ohio Conference, been a member of the Genesis BOA, and was Superintendent of the River Conference from 2018-2022. She currently serves on the FMC Board of Administration. She has a special interest in justice and advocacy with pending studies of justice and advocacy at Fuller Theological Seminary beginning in fall 2022. She is also a board-certified obstetrician gynecologist and has a focus in indigent health care and women’s health. Rev. Katie Sawade Hall Katie Sawade Hall is Associate Pastor at Community of the Savior, a Free Methodist congregation in Rochester, NY. She holds an MDiv from Duke Divinity School. Katie has been an ordained elder in the FMC since 2015 and spent the first five years of her pastoral ministry as a children’s pastor in Southern Indiana. She is especially interested in the intersections of liturgy, spiritual formation, and justice. Katie is married to Andy, who is a native of Lancashire, UK, and they have two daughters, Ellie and Zoe, and a golden retriever named Scout. Rev. Dr. Jill Richardson Jill Richardson pastors Real Hope Community Church in suburban Chicago. Her doctorate is in Church Leadership in a Changing Context, with a focus on the next generation and preaching. She has written or contributed to 8 books, and her articles have appeared in leading national magazines and websites. Her tagline is “Reframed: Picturing Faith what the Next Generation,” and her passion is to work with the next generation to create a healthy church for the 21st century. She’s also a writer, speaker, and (fairly) intrepid traveler. You can find her work or contact her at jillmrichardson.com . AWL Emeritae Rev. Soo Ji Alvarez Soo Ji Alvarez is the Lead Pastor of The Avenue, a multi-ethnic Free Methodist church in Riverside, CA. She is also the Program Coordinator for How To Fuel Your Passion, an online program designed to equip Asian American and Latina women faith leaders and the Conference Director for Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy. She has been ordained with the Free Methodist Church since 2011 and has been a national speaker and strong advocate for women in ministry, gender equality, diversity, justice and the AAPI community. Soo Ji is Korean-Canadian and loves doing life and ministry with her Mexican-American husband Joe. They have 2 amazing kids, Juaquin and Nayara and a puppy named Oso. Rev. Dr. Sheila Houston Pastor Sheila Houston is a leader in the Sex Trafficking Movement. She has led teams to work directly with victims of domestic sex trafficking throughout Seattle and internationally, working directly involved with over 2,500 victims. From 2008-2011 she also led street teams that worked directly with men involved in pimping. Sheila is a Free Methodist Pastor currently serving in Detroit Michigan at Arise Ministries Detroit. Her credentials include an Executive Master of Not-For-Profit Leadership, Seattle University; Post Master Certificate in Transforming Spirituality, Seattle University; BA Organizational Behavior, Seattle Pacific University; Pastoral Leadership Certificate and a Doctor of Ministry from School of Theology, Seattle University. Rev. Dr. Laura J. Hunt Laura J. Hunt adjuncts for several undergraduate and graduate institutions worldwide. Her PhD used semiotics and the poetics of allusions for biblical interpretation; it is published as Jesus Caesar: A Roman Reading of the Johannine Trial Narrative . She continues to work and publish in academia, particularly on the Gospel of John and 1 Peter. Her tagline, “Making the Academic Practical,” guides her work as Associate Pastor of New Beginnings in SE Michigan and her book on 1 Cor 1-4, The Not-Very-Persecuted Church . She loves languages, coarse bread, and smelly cheeses. Rev. Marianne Pēna Marianne Peña is a Pastor and planter of a bilingual Free Methodist Church in North Houston, Texas, Essential Church. She and her husband, William, co-pastored a multi-generational, multi-cultural, and bilingual church in Miami, Florida for eight years before being called out to plant. Marianne has been an ordained elder in the FMC since 2018. She holds an MA in Organizational Management from Spring Arbor University and a Graduate Certificate in Discipleship and Spiritual Formation from Wesley Biblical Seminary. Marianne is passionate about helping believers walk in the freedom and power of the Holy Spirit and seeing women thrive within their context while experiencing the fullness of what God has for them. Marianne and William have three lively boys, Shiloh, Micah, and Mason. Dr. Michelle Roberts Michelle Roberts, a member of the Free Methodist Church since 2002 and one of the church plant leaders of Light & Life West, Long Beach, CA. She served as the co-leader of the ministry support team, “Life Support” where she assisted with groups/classes coming together for healing and support. She ministered as the online church platform leader, communications administrator, social media content developer, program developer and website administrator. 2019, Michelle became the Assistant Director of African Heritage Network. She is also the founder of JKLM Corp, a Non-Profit organization for small business technical support, workshops, graphic design assistance and an entrepreneurial hub for charitable organizations with limited resources. Rev. Heather Baker Utley Heather Baker Utley is pastor and planter for a Free Methodist house church, Tapestry Church, in San Antonio, Texas. She also works in the areas of web design and social media for several Free Methodist-affiliated organizations, including Light + Life Communications and Wesleyan Holiness Women Clergy. She holds an MDiv from Seattle Pacific Seminary and has been ordained in the FMC since 2017. She has 17 years of experience working for churches and nonprofits in Ohio and Washington State in the areas of youth ministry, children’s ministry, administration and communications. Our Priorities COMMUNICATION Create and maintain lines of communication that include women leaders at all levels. Ensure they have the information they require to advocate for themselves and find opportunities in the Free Methodist Church. CONTINUING EDUCATION Create a resource center of information regarding gender issues. EMPOWERING MENTORS Work to equip new young pastors, new pastors, CMCs (ministry candidates), and women in new pastoral roles with the mentoring, communication, and opportunities they require for full use of their gifts and opportunities. PROCESSING, HEALING, SHARING STRATEGIES Create a safe space for women who have experienced sexual abuse, assault, or harassment either from an FMC leader or a person defended by one to tell their stories and find advocacy. ADDRESSING PROMOTIONAL SYSTEM Educate the FMC about gender bias and women’s unique life stages so that women can begin to make up a more representative portion of leadership and pastoral candidates. SEXIST PATTERNS OF BEHAVIORS Offer training on patterns of sexism and power. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES Work to educate and screen pastoral candidates regarding egalitarian beliefs.

The So-Called "Feminization" of the Church The "feminization of the church" movement, despite the historical marginalization of women from full engagement in life and meaningful work, and their segregation into household and spiritual pursuits, blames women for the failures of an essentially male-led church. These resources will get you up to speed on these issues. The "Feminization" of the Church by Kristen Rosser A Jesus for Real Men: What the new masculinity movement gets right and wrong by Brandon O'Brien (If you do not have access to CT , you can download the full article here .) The Making of Biblical Womanhood by Beth Allison Barr

Discouragement Sometimes, it’s hard to tell whether our discouragement is related to sexism or not. There’s no sign that clearly announces: You’re discouraged because of ongoing sexism! or instead You’re discouraged because it’s February! So we have included resources that address both. Resources to Face Discouragement Wh at To Say : CBE has a whole series of articles that will give you the tools to respond to discouragement that can come from the people around you. Grit: The power of passion and perseverance Leaving a high-flying job in consulting, Angela Lee Duckworth took a job teaching math to seventh graders in a New York public school. She quickly realized that IQ wasn't the only thing separating the successful students from those who struggled. Here, she explains her theory of "grit" as a predictor of success. AWL is aware that Angela has a book as well. Feel free to check it out! Contemplative Practices Contemplation has long been a part of Christianity. Here are two websites where you can access resources to learn Christian meditation or to find a spiritual director: Soul Formation Transforming Center Note that we have chosen two centers that have benefited by and provided help for many Free Methodists.

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.

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.

Contact Us If you'd like to contact the team of Advocates for FM Women in Leadership, contact us via the form below. This forwards to our gmail account, and an AWL team member will respond to you within one week. 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.

Advocates for Free Methodist Women in Leadership (AWL) is a group of women leaders in the Free Methodist Church USA (FMCUSA) who are passionate about creating a culture of equality, opportunity, and safety for women in our churches. We’re here to provide everyone in the FMCUSA with the resources to understand our theology and practice regarding the equality of women in the kingdom of God—in value, role, and function. We’re also here to offer a safe space for women to tell their stories of church experience. This site is curated to assure those stories can be told with authenticity and without fear. We hope all can learn from your experiences. You are welcome here whether you are well immersed in egalitarian ideas, desiring information on what the Free Methodist position regarding women is, or questioning what you think about that position. We pray you will find what you need in these pages. Join Our Next Event! PreacHer Sunday VISION 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. MISSION Our Mission is to be a healthy biblical community of Free Methodist leaders supporting one another and assisting the Free Methodist Church USA in understanding the societal distinctives of women in the US in order to fully recruit and empower women among our disciples, leaders, groups and churches. Highlighted Resource: On the Feminization of the Church The feminization of the church movement has argued that men in particular are leaving churches because churches and church practices have been feminized. For a response to these assumptions, two articles and a book may be helpful.

Hello Our next AWL (advocacy for FM women in leadership) is coming up on Thursday evening, April 27, 8-9pmET We will meet to talk about telling our stories. Now, we will not be telling our stories, except for the speakers. But 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?