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Carol Seaton testifies of surprises ...
and invites the church not to waste God's gifts
[6-12-01]
Among the many impressive witnesses to Committee 6
on Monday morning was Carol Seaton. Here's what she said:
No one was more surprised than I was when God called
me to be a pastor. I was active in the church throughout my life, and a
leader in the youth group in college. But I was a chemistry major, and I
was headed to graduate school. So thought. But God called and the church
affirmed my gifts for ministry. I have served as a youth director for
four small churches, as a pastor of a small church, as presbytery staff
working with small churches in mission strategy. I was very active in
the work of our synod.
My last call was to serve as the Associate for Small
Church Development in the Evangelism and Church Development Area of the
General Assembly. Throughout all these calls, my gifts for ministry have
been affirmed.
God had another surprise for me. I finally met the
love of my life, my soul-mate -- and it was a woman. No one was more
surprised than me. But the love that we have shared in the last six
years has helped me to grow in my faith, in so many ways. My faith is
deeper and stronger, and I am more able to serve as a minister now,
because I am a whole person.
And now the church says No, you can't use your gifts
anymore.
This afternoon there's a hearing about the shortage of
pastors in our churches, especially our small churches. Here I stand
with hundreds, maybe thousands of others, affirming our faith in Jesus
Christ as our Lord and Savior -- with the training, the skills, the
gifts, and the calling of God for ministry.
It is time for the church to change, to listen to the
Holy Spirit, and to say as Peter did, when he was sent to Cornelius, who
was a Gentile, as God ... [Here the committee moderator cut her off.]
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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