Baptist Women in Ministry News
October 2020
DREAMING BWIM's FUTURE
In the past month, Baptist Women in Ministry has been getting situated in its new home in Abilene, Texas. There are a thousand tiny things to do in the process of transitioning – hours spent in finances and budgeting, forms to complete or create, learning the systems and contacts for everything from payroll to accounting to insurance, and getting lost in the small things like buying a stapler.

But in the midst of all of the thousands of necessary tasks, there have also been moments to catch a vision for how BWIM will live into its great purpose of illuminating, advocating, and nurturing the callings and gifts of Baptist women, as well as moments which have simply filled my soul.

In late September, Lynn and I spent a couple of days together, fully masked, getting details in order, learning each other’s gifts, and imagining how we might best work together in moving forward BWIM’s mission.

Over the past month, I have had zoom conversations with each person on our Leadership Team and I have listened as they shared their stories and their hopes for BWIM.

I have begun having zoom conversations with each of the state BWIM leaders. In getting to know them and the states they serve, I have found that there are so many different expressions of service to and on behalf of women in ministry throughout the country, and I am inspired by the devotion these women have supporting women in ministry.

I even had the opportunity to preach a couple of times – though in different ways. The first time was at Woodland Baptist Church in San Antonio for whom I recorded (and re-recorded) a message to be edited together with their Sunday morning worship video.

The second place I preached was at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco. The Sunday I joined them they recently had transitioned from releasing an edited pre-recorded worship video each week, to live-streaming the service from their sanctuary without a congregation present. This meant around 10 people were in the sanctuary each week – ministers, musicians, singers, preacher, and technical support.

The Sunday I was at Calvary was also the week they set aside for the celebration of communion. So after I preached to the ipad set up on a tripod, the ministers moved into position to virtually issue an invitation for the congregation to participate in communion in their homes. But there was also a station of bread and juice set up for those in the sanctuary.

As the music began to play and the 10 of us moved to the communion station one by one (in a socially distanced manner), I felt my heart drop and giant lump rise in my throat. This was the first time I would take communion outside of my home in 7 months, a communal practice I didn’t know how much I had missed until I experienced it after a long absence.

The steps of each person toward the tiny table felt like a slow-motion dance, as each subsequent person repeated the moves of the previous. Our shared act of moving to the table, backing away, lowering our masks, eating, drinking, and repositioning our masks felt like a well-choreographed contemporary number worthy of a standing ovation by Jennifer Lopez, Ne-Yo, and Derek Hough while they wiped away the tears elicited by the emotional impact of our performance. Though we weren’t touching one another, communion that morning felt like a group hug, a shared experience of becoming aware to the Christ that lives within each of us and binds us together.
But though it was the physical act of participating in communion that day outside my home which reminded me of how the indwelling of Christ brings us together, the same Christ empowers us whether we are within 6-12 feet of other people or not.

So while my first several weeks at BWIM have been spent doing a thousand tiny tasks and spending a million hours on zoom, these days are drawing me into the presence of Christ that unites each of us, near and far. And I pray that Christ would empower us in uncertain days ahead, and that we all might be able to live fully into our partnership with all God’s purposes in this world.
BWIM MENTORING COHORT 2021-22

*Accepting Applications January 1, 2021*
A
Baptist Women will begin accepting applications for our 2021-2022 mentoring cohort on January 1, 2021. The mentoring program is a Lily Endowment funded program that began in 2017.

Baptist Women in Ministry’s Mentoring Program offers new ministers an opportunity to participate in two years of intentional mentoring with a seasoned Baptist minister and a group of peers. These mentoring groups serve as communities of support, encouragement, and guidance.

The BWIM Mentoring program is open to Baptist women who have served in their current area of ministry for less than three years and are ministering in churches, chaplaincy, non-profit work, and other “outside-the-box” settings. For more information click this link-BWIM Mentoring Program
WE HAVE A NEW ADDRESS!
Please send all mail to:
Baptist Women in Ministry
P. O. Box 207
Abilene, TX 79604
BWIM LEADERSHIP TEAM
Ashton Wells, Tripp Martin, Anyra Cano, Courtney Allen, Ellen Di Giosia, Ossie McKinney, Micah Pritchett, Rebecca Mathis, Lawrence Powers
BWIM WEEKLY OFFICE HOURS
If you are in need of conversation and support, BWIM is hosting bi-monthly "Office Hours" via Zoom for those seeking a safe space to share concerns and to pray together. The next BWIM Office Hours will be held Thursday, October 15th at 11:00 AM. Check BWIM's social media outlets and watch for emails about future days and times. To obtain the Zoom link, email lynnbrinkley@bwim.info.

Know we are praying for the BWIM community in these hard days. We marvel at the ways you are ministering in creative ways while giving care to others.
SUPPORTING BWIM
All the work Baptist Women in Ministry does and all the ways in which this organization contributes to the shift in Baptist culture happen because of people like you who believe in and support our ministry and who share in our mission of affirming all those whom God has gifted for ministry. We would love for you to make a gift and join with us in this good work BWIM is doing. 

Your support makes all of this possible!
ORDINATION RESOURCES
Baptist Women in Ministry has gathered ordination resources that can help with the planning of an ordination service, including litanies, poems, blessings, responses, and charges, all used in previous ordination services.

Our website also has resources for pastoral installation services. We hope these resources will be helpful to you as you prepare for your significant days of celebration.

If you have ordination or installation resources that you would like to share with BWIM, email them to
lynnbrinkley@bwim.info.

Emily Harbin who was ordained September 13 at First Baptist Church in Athens, Georgia!
Blog Series: Coping with COVID-19
Baptist Women in Ministry posts blogs every Wednesday and Friday. The 2020 Wednesday blogs shifted during the pandemic focusing on the topic, "Coping with COVID-19." You can read our recent blog written by Mary Alice Birdwhistell.

Every Friday, BWIM shares the blog, "THIS IS WHAT A MINISTER LOOKS LIKE," which features an interview with an amazing minister.
MINISTRY SEARCH RESOURCES
Baptist Women in Ministry offers resources and assistance both to churches searching for a minister and ministers searching for a new position. Churches and candidates in need of assistance may now submit information, job descriptions, and resumes online via BWIM’s Ministry Search Registration Forms. BWIM’s assistance is provided as a ministry, and there are no fees for these services. 
ON THE MOVE

Taylor Elizabeth Bigelow, youth minister, Gwathmey Baptist Church, Ashland, Virginia.
Reba Delzell, pastor, Williston-Immanuel United Church, Portland, Maine.
Kate Derbas, minister of children and youth, Laurel Hill Baptist Church, Verona, Virginia.
Rebecca Hewitt-Newson, pastor, Emmaus Way, Durham, North Carolina.
Regina Hodge, children’s ministry director, First Baptist Church, Galveston, Texas.
Jenny Perkins Kiser, pastor of Covenant Baptist Church, San Antonio, Texas.
Nita May, interim pastor, Beale Memorial Baptist Church, Tappahannock, Virginia.

SAFE CHURCHES and MINISTERS:
CLERGY SEXUAL ABUSE RESOURCES
The Clergy Sexual Misconduct Task Force, a joint partnership between Baptist Women in Ministry and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, have released two significant resources developed for use by churches, seminaries, and partnering organizations. "Safe Churches and Ministers" is an educational video that introduces this tough topic and provides much-needed definitions, statistics, and stories that are designed to help churches, students, and leaders take seriously their responsibility in preventing abuse. The video is accompanied by a leader guide and a discussion guide and is available in both English and Spanish.

"Clergy Sexual Abuse Prevention Recommendations for Churches" is a collection of prevention guidelines and documents intended to prompt congregations to create their own policies, procedures, processes and covenants.  This resource will assist churches in holding clergy and lay leaders accountable and will prepare churches to respond appropriately if abuse is reported.  

The release of these two resources marks an important milestone in the work of the Task Force and we are committed to continue forward in our efforts. We ask that you pray for the task force as we keep working to bring attention to and educate those in our Baptist circles about clergy sexual abuse.
TEXAS BWIM EVENT
Texas Baptist Women in Ministry invites you to our virtual retreat led by Dr. Angela Gorrell, the author of the book: The Gravity of Joy: A Story of Being Lost and Found.


Through this retreat participants will:
  • Develop a deeper understanding of joy
  • Reflect on obstacles and gateways to joy
  • Explore the relationship between joy and suffering from various perspectives
  • Identify reasons joy is a powerful counteragent to despair
  • Develop greater capacity to look for, be ready for, and experience more joy 

We will have a full schedule with long breaks, small group times, and interactive opportunities.

Click on the picture to get more details and to register today!
FLOURISHING IN MINISTRY
Flourishing in Ministry is a Circle of Trust® retreat series for pastors and faith leaders. The program includes five different cohort series, each in a unique part of the country. Each cohort series will consist of three retreats (one 4-day event and two 3-day events) over a 13-month period, as well as small group peer learning calls in between retreats.

Feb. 8-10, 2021, Aug. 16-18, 2021 • near Portland, OR
Feb. 2-4, 2021, Aug. 3-5, 2021 • near Baltimore, MD
Oct. 19-22, 2020, April 19-21, 2021, Oct. 18-20, 2021 • near Atlanta, GA
Nov. 16-19, 2020, May 24-26, 2021, Nov. 9-11, 2021 • Washington, MI
OPEN POSITIONS
Positions are listed by state, city, open position, church name. BWIM collects these openings from a wide variety of sources, and the degree of openness to women ministers among the listed churches varies. In its effort to advocate, network, and connect, BWIM provides this list as a resource to those searching for ministry positions. 

ALABAMA
Alpine-Pastor-Alpine Baptist Church
Huntsville-Associate Minister to Kids and Families-First Baptist Church
Talladega County-Pastor-Alpine Baptist Church 

FLORIDA
Daytona Beach-Associate Pastor-Central Baptist Church
Lakeland-CPE Certified Educator-Lakeland Regional Health
Ormond Beach-Associate Pastor-Central Baptist Church
 
GEORGIA
Carrollton-Minister to Students-Tabernacle Baptist Church
Decatur-Global Missions Operations Specialist-Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Decatur-Associate Coordinator of Operations-Cooperative Baptist Fellowship
Hawkinsville-Associate Pastor to Families and Children-First Baptist Church
Macon-Coordinator of Young Baptist Ministries - Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia
Madison-Pastor-Madison Baptist Church
Manchester-Assistant Pastor with a Focus on Youth-First Baptist Church
Troutville-Pastor-Pleasant Hill Baptist Church
 
INDIANA
Camden-Pastor-First Baptist Church
Hopewell-Pastor-Hopewell Baptist Church 
Plainfield-Pastor-First Baptist Church

KENTUCKY
Danville-Minister to Children/Middle School Students-Lexington Avenue Baptist Church 
Morehead-Pastor-First Baptist Church of Morehead
Owensboro-Director of Ministry to Children and Families-First Baptist Church

LOUISIANA
Lake Providence-Executive Director-Together for Hope Louisiana

MARYLAND
Towson-Pastor-Calvary Baptist Church
 
NORTH CAROLINA
Apex-Associate Pastor of Youth and Young Adults-Woodhaven Baptist Church
Benson- Pastor-Bethlehem Christian Church
Durham-Pastor-Hope Valley Baptist Church
Fuquay-Varina-Bazzel Creek Missionary Baptist Church
Hillsborough-Pastor- First Baptist Church
Lumberton-Pastor-First Baptist Church
Raleigh-Minister of Worship, Music, and the Arts-Greystone Baptist Church
Wilmington-Church Administrator & Finance Manager Winterville Baptist Church
Winston-Salem-Ministry Support Manager-Cooperative Baptist Fellowship

PENNSYLVANIA
Mercer-Pastor Mercer Baptist Church

SOUTH CAROLINA
Anderson-Minister to Students and Families-Boulevard Baptist
Columbia-Executive Minister/CEO-The South Carolina Christian Action Council, Inc.
Greenville-Children's Minister-Earle Street Baptist Church
Rockhill-Associate Pastor for Spiritual Formation and Missions-Oakland Baptist Church
York-Pastor-First Baptist Church

TENNESSEE
Knoxville-Youth Minister-First Baptist Church
 
TEXAS
Abilene-Associate Pastor-Teaching and Connections-Pioneer Drive Baptist Church
Austin-Pastor-Westoak Woods Baptist Church 
Austin- Director of Ethics and Justice- Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas-Social Media Specialist-Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas-Director-African American Ministries-Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas- Ministry Assistant-Missions Mobilization-Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas- Missional Lifestyle Strategist for Adult & Multicultural- Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas-Church Health Strategist-Baptist General Convention of Texas
Dallas-Church Starting Strategist, Service Area 4-Baptist General Convention of Texas 4
Houston-Pastor-River Oaks Baptist Church
Longview-Minister for Discipleship and Connections-First Baptist Church

Stephenville-Associate Pastor of Missions, Education, Discipleship-First Baptist Church  
Waco-Minister to Children and Families-DaySprings Baptist Church
Waco-Minister of Students/Contemporary Worship-Western Heights Baptist Church
Whiteright-Pastor-First Missionary Baptist Church
 
VIRGINIA
Charlottesville-Associate Minister for Students-University Baptist Church
Hampton-Associate Pastor Children and Youth Discipleship-Hampton Baptist Church
Kenbridge-Pastor-Kenbridge Baptist Church
New Kent County-Pastor-Emmaus Baptist Church
Mechanicsville-Pastor-Walnut Grove Baptist Church
Moseley-Pastor-Mount Hermon Baptist Church 
Richmond-Associate Pastor of Christian Formation-First Baptist Church
Suffolk- Pastor-Bethlehem Christian Church
Warsaw-Pastor-Welcome Grove Baptist Church
Williamsburg-Pastor-Williamsburg Baptist Church 
Wirtz-Pastor-Halesford Baptist Church
State and Regional BWIM
Contact Information
Alabama
Laura Stephens-Reed
reverendlaura@gmail.com

Arkansas
Brittany Stillwell
bstillwell@2bclr.com.

Florida
Tammy Snyder
TSnyder@bayshorebaptistchurch.com


Georgia
Katie Faison
katienfaison@gmail.com 

Heartland (Kansas/Missouri)
Laurel Cluthe

Robin Sandbothe

Kentucky  
Laura Levens
laura.levens@bsk.edu
North Carolina
Ka'thy Gore Chappell

South Carolina
Anna Burch

Mary Frances Thompson 

Tennessee
Eileen Campbell-Reed

Vicki Violette
vviolette@tncbf.org

Texas
Anyra Cano

Virginia
Nancy McDaniel