June 2023 News from BWIM

We have a list too.

While some in the SBC have used lists of women serving as pastors for unkind purposes, we decided to make our own list to celebrate some of the women who were influential Baptist pastors in the 20th century.

If you want to join us in celebrating Baptist pastors who are women, you can get your own T-shirt using the link below. There are options in different styles and colors to choose from.

Get a T-shirt to show support for Baptist pastors!

Wear your T-shirts on Wednesday at CBF General Assembly

The day we learned the Southern Baptist Convention voted to expel two churches led by female pastors, I went and put on this new shirt BWIM is promoting. Will you join me, BWIM staff, and other supporters on Wednesday night and let US show OUR solidarity with women pastors. Click on the link above to order your shirt today!

Since Mike Law's list of 170 women serving as pastors in "SBC affiliated" churches appeared in March, BWIM has been providing support and advocacy for the women who were wrongly placed in the middle of a political denominational battle.

Here is a recap of our efforts:

On March 28, we gathered a group of around 25 women whose names appeared on the list to discuss potential responses via Zoom. We wanted the women affected who were connected to our community to guide our efforts. After the meeting, we found as many email addresses for the rest of the women on Law's list to send them a recap of how we intended to respond and the support that we wanted to offer them.
As prompted by the group of pastors, on April 4, we began quietly circulating An Open Letter to Baptist Women, a letter which communicates that should be no limits to women's value and freedom in the community of God. We took the letter public the next day with over 500 signatures, and within two days it had 2,000 signatures from people all over the world. The current signature count today is 3,652.
On May 22, we hosted an online information session about non-SBC Baptist resources for clergy personnel benefits since so many of the women and congregations affected worried about the loss of access to affordable healthcare and retirement options through Guidestone Resources, SBC.
On May 26, we hosted an impromptu Zoom session to discuss public relations concerns and how to deal with reporters as many of the women on the list began getting requests for interviews and comments. We invited a public relations expert to join us to guide this discussion and provide general tips for navigating press requests.
When a second list of women serving as pastors in SBC affiliated churches appeared in The American Reformer on June 10, we found email addresses for as many women as we could, especially those connected to BWIM, to notify them of the existence of this second list and to offer the same support to them as we had to those on Mike Law's list.
Throughout the entire process leading up to the Southern Baptist Convention, we served as the point of contact for information about how to get church's names taken off the SBC's list of affiliated churches, how to get off of Mike Law's list, and for general questions about how the Convention works and what would happen after the vote. Further, we have also been in regular contact with an attorney, Jason Cogdill, who has since formed a team of attorneys who have researched the issues affecting these churches and formulated potential responses should churches or female pastors need assistance.
Prior to the Convention, Meredith Stone was invited to give interviews and comments for national news outlets such as The New York Times and The Economist. Then, within minutes of the vote on June 14 to pass the first reading of the constitutional amendment banning churches who affirm, appoint, or employ women to serve as pastors of any kind, BWIM released a statement titled, The Southern Baptist Convention is Wrong. This statement was picked up by several news outlets and led to invitations to to provide comment on national news services such as CNN.

While the circumstances which led to the opportunities for this support and advocacy for women in ministry among Baptists is deplorable, your support of BWIM made it possible for us to respond in the moment and be able to communicate broadly the message that women are valued in the community of God. We will continue to work so that women have the support they need and so that the need for women's equality and equity among Baptist communities is known far and wide.

In Case You Missed It

Meredith on CNN

Did you catch Meredith on CNN last week breaking down what the SBC's move to limit the call of God for women and on disfellowshipping churches means?

Watch her interview here

Southern Baptists Move to Purge Churches with Female Pastors. Elizabeth Dias and Ruth Graham in The New York Times

Rev. Jennifer Brown in Southern Baptists are Arguing About the Extent of Male Authority

The Economist

Rev. Carlisle Davidhizar on NPR's

On Point.

Listen here

SBC Approves Amendment Limiting Pastorate to Men. Ken Camp.

Baptist Standard

The SBC Will Decide if it Kicks Out Churches Led by Women. Why Some are Already on their Way. Liam Adams and Katherine Burgess

The Tennessean

Southern Baptists Uphold Ouster of Saddleback, Fern Creek Churches Over Women Pastors. Liam Adams and Katherine Burgess.

The Tennessean

Southern Baptist Men-Only Rule Denigrates Women. Meredith Stone

The Iona Register

Is Rick Warren Reviving the Fight Against the Fundamentalist Takeover of the SBC? Meredith Stone

Baptist News Global

If you aren't coming to the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship General Assembly, or even if you are, we hope you'll consider joining us for our 40th Anniversary Annual Gathering in Louisville, KY on October 2-4, 2023! This multi-day event held at Broadway Baptist Church will be a chance to honor and learn more about the beginnings of our movement as well as the last 40 years for diverse groups of women in ministry, to connect and participate in self-care, and to worship together as we imagine the next 40 years uplifting, supporting, and advocating for women in ministry within Baptist communities.

Registration for this event is now open and details for a hotel group rate are available on our website. You can also find a tentative schedule and be sure to stay tuned for an announcement about our Annual Gathering preacher and speakers coming soon!

More Information & Registration

BWIM has partnered with Baptist News Global (BNG) to celebrate and promote the strong writing voices of women! BWIM is advocating for women's equal representation in Baptist media by uplifting women's writing and encouraging women's increased participation in shaping Baptist life, culture, and theology.

To find out more about BWIM's partnership and to read articles written as the result of the partnership, click below. If you are interested in becoming a potential writer for BNG, email Laura Ellis for more information at lauraellis@bwim.info

Learn More Here

MINISTRY TRANSITIONS

Natalie Aho, director of development, Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, Louisville, KY.

Caitlin Childers Brown, co-pastor, Highland Hills Baptist Church, Macon, GA.

Brittany Caldwell, coordinator of community engagement. Great Rivers Fellowship, Shreveport, LA.

Alyssa Carter, minister to children, South Main Baptist Church, Houston, TX.

Laura Davis, associate coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia.

Felecia Dewing, minister to children and their families, Tabernacle Baptist Church, Carrollton, GA.

Elizabeth O’Donnell Gandolfo, associate dean of academic affairs, Wake Forest University School of Divinity, Winston-Salem, NC.

Emily Holladay, senior pastor, Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort, KY.

Miranda Kwon, director of missions, American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts.

Leah Lucas, director of ministry at Lake Providence, Together for Hope Louisiana.

Becca Lawing, youth, children, missions and connections minister. First Baptist Church, Lenoir, NC.

Anna Moxley, to Derbyshire Baptist Church, Richmond, Va., as minister of faith development and music administration.

Natalie Ortiz-Lovince, executive director, Tri-Cities Ministries, Waco, TX.

Leigh Ann Pernell, minister to children, College Park Baptist Church, Winston-Salem, NC.

Mary Rosenberg, music director, LaFayette Baptist Church, Fayetteville, NC.

Caroline Self, youth minister, First Baptist Church, Carrollton, GA.

Amber Simpson, interim assistant coordinator, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Alabama.

Caroline Tucker, associate pastor for families, First Baptist Church, Martinsville, VA, and Chatham Heights Baptist Church, Martinsville, VA.

Kelsey Lewis Vincent, associate pastor of students and connections, First Baptist Church, Wilson, NC.

Gretchen Fern Watson, director of children and families, St. Matthews Baptist Church, Louisville, KY.

Donna Watts, hospital chaplain, St. Louis area.

ORDINATIONS

We Want To Celebrate Your Ordination!

If you know a Baptist woman who has been ordained or will be ordained, please email names and pictures (if possible) to heatherdeal@bwim.info. BWIM wants to share in celebrating congregational affirmation of all women in ministry, and it helps us to keep records of all of the women in Baptist life who are ordained.

RECENT ORDINATIONS:

Toni Adams, ordained to ministry on June 11 by First Baptist Church, Oklahoma City., Okla., where she is executive ministry associate.

Anna Faith Adair, ordained to ministry on June 4 by Church at Ponce & Highland, Atlanta, Ga.

Susan Hoover, ordained to ministry on May 21 by First Baptist Church, Kingsport, Tenn., where she serves as minister of music.

Rev. Anna Rullan-Garcia, ordained to ministry on June 11, 2013 by Ravensworth Baptist Church, Annandale, VA. (pictured)

Heather Wright, ordained to ministry on June 4 by Church at Ponce & Highland, Atlanta, Ga.

OPEN POSITIONS

BWIM posts information online for any church/organization who contacts us directly to advertise their open position so that candidates can have access to a current list of open positions.

Find positions posted with BWIM HERE!

New positions posted online since the last newsletter include:

Music Minister, McLean Baptist Church, McLean, VA
Communications Coordinator (part-time), Equity for Women in the Church, Remote
Associate Pastor or part-time positions in Youth, Children, and Worship, Crosscreek Baptist Church, Pelham, AL
Associate Pastor for Families, Ball Camp Baptist Church, Knoxville, TN