Call to Ministry

by Elizabeth Thorpe

In 2018, I asked my friend to teach me to quilt. The quilt design we chose was simple: an array of twenty different fabrics cut into 4-inch squares to be pieced together to create the size I wanted. The piecing process seemed simple enough, but it was truly the most difficult part for me. You see, the fabric squares varied in color and design – they didn’t necessarily match if you placed them side-by-side. I didn’t feel comfortable with that fact, but I was assured by my friend that it would all work out in the end. 

We dumped the squares into two brown paper grocery bags and mixed them up. I was given the simple instruction to pull out a square of fabric and sew it onto the previous square. Easy – right? Not for me! I found myself pulling a square out of the bag and deciding if it fit with the previous piece. If not, it went right back into the bag. My friend told me to stop forcing the outcome and let it go – she reassured me it would turn out beautifully in the end. She was right – the finished product is beautiful! 

This process caused me to reflect on my calling to the ministry. My life is made up of so many different fabric pieces – each square is a different experience. Some seem to fit while others not so much. In the end, it has been all pieces working together to create the unique ministry God has called me to do. Once I stopped trying to force the outcome and let God take control and lead me to each new opportunity, the pieces of my ministry education fell into place. 

I graduated from Bethany Theological Seminary with an MA in Theology in 2013. Since I wanted to pursue ministry and be ordained, I enrolled in the TRIM program through Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership. I enrolled in classes through SVMC. By doing so, I was able to stay close to home for classes, meet other students and teachers in my district and surrounding districts, and receive a quality education for an affordable price. 

Each piece of my ministry education has been pieced together perfectly. I appreciate the opportunities Bethany Seminary, Brethren Academy, and SVMC have provided and continue to provide me and so many others in our ongoing ministry education journeys.

Elizabeth Thorpe is Minister of Music and Congregational Life at the Chambersburg Church of the Brethren, and a current member of SVMC’s Governing Board.