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BY LAUREN HEATHER LAY

My initial call to ministry came when I was a Catholic schoolgirl. Even at the age of 10, I knew the calling was not to be a nun - the only role model of female church leadership I had witnessed at that time.

When I finally responded to the call to ordained ministry within The United Methodist Church, I was a youth director in a church in San Francisco. I never hesitated on the grounds that I was a woman because my frame of reference included Bishop Leontine Kelly.

I dare say that every clergywoman has a ministry history scarred with one or more stories of discrimination and abusive behavior from churches and colleagues based on gender. We are meant to thrive, and not just survive, as clergywomen.

I choose to thrive because I have been intentional about building and maintaining relationships where I can vent, celebrate and test-drive ideas for the ministry and for other areas of my life. I thrive because I approach everything with prayer.

I witnessed Bishop Kelly greet people of all stations of life with an embrace: clergy, laity, children, adults, and men and women waiting in line at the soup kitchen. Her stature required more often than not that she reach upwards. Her stance was unapologetic yet graceful.

That?s the pastor I hope people say that I am: unapologetic about who God has created me to be, and graceful in my extension of words and behaviors toward others.

I feel blessed to enjoy the special bond I have with my clergywomen colleagues and pray that the next 50 years will unfold amazing stories of thriving ministry for all who respond to the call.

Reach upwards to Jesus the Christ and all else will fall away.

Lauren Heather Lay is pastor of Idlewylde UMC in Baltimore. This essay appears in 'A Bridge to Now,' reflections on ministry created by the clergywomen of the Baltimore-Washington Conference to celebrate the 50th anniversary of full clergy rights for women.