The Young Clergy Women Project

Welcome!

WHO WE ARE:

The Young Clergy Women Project is an initiative---a collection of new programs that are by, for and about the youngest ordained women, defined as those under forty. 

We started out in November 2006 as just an idea, really, about getting young ordained women together to talk online.  In the spring of 2007, we received a grant from The Louisville Institute that supported our preaching conference, board meeting, and our web page.  Energy begets energy, though, and these initial funded programs have created more ideas and programs.  Stay tuned as we navigate these first few years together!

PROGRAMS

• In August 2007, we held our first preaching conference at the Cathedral College of Preachers.
• Fidelia's Sisters--an e-zine by, for and about young clergy women, expected to launch at www.youngclergywomen.org on October 1.
• password protected online community for young clergy women.
• password protected online community for young women waiting for ordination
• meet-ups both regionally and at denominational events.
• online covenant groups (to be developed in winter 2008)

 

Membership--Young Clergy Women Project

MEMBERSHIP IN THE YOUNG CLERGY WOMEN PROJECT:

We self-define as being a Christian organization that is for persons that are:

• young(under 40, and ordained prior to 35)
• female 
  
• clergy
• ordained or exempt (keep reading to see how we define that)

We hope that a wide variety of individuals will read our new e-zine, Fidelia's Sisters.  We do, though, restrict our more interactive programs to those that meet our membership criteria.  We are only taking women, and only taking those under 40, and ordained before 35.  Ordained women (at least probationary elders in the Methodist systems, and Episcopal Deacons that have completed their educational requirements) are targeted for the group. 

We recognize, though, that ordination is a complex and nuanced issue in many of our denominations, and will work to find ways to include those women who serve churches (or ecumenical entities)in the same roles as clergy but are excluded from ordination due to gender or sexual orientation.  Examples of such women would include Roman Catholic women serving as campus ministers, or lesbian women serving as hospital chaplains or pastors. (This group can also include those that are serving a clergy-like role while fighting for ordination in a denomination-i.e. Lutherans hoping for an Extraordinary ordination, etc.)

Women who are serving clergy-like roles while waiting on ordination are not eligible for the Young Clergy Women Project but we do have a companion group for you!  Check out the Future Young Clergy Women Group described below.

Ordination exceptions are made by majority vote of the board.  To apply for an exception, send an email to youngclergywomen@gmail.com. We make membership exception decisions during the first week of each month.

All women that would like to join our interactive communities are asked to complete a membership form first. Download an application, complete it, and then send as an attachment to youngclergywomen@gmail.com. Decisions are usually made within 7 days.

Download tycwp_application_for_membership.doc

Future Young Clergy Women Group

MEMBERSHIP IN THE FUTURE YOUNG CLERGY WOMEN GROUP:

The Future Young Clergy Women group is an online ning community of support for those young women in the midst of theological education, as well as those that have graduated and are waiting for judicatory approval or are seeking their first call--it's for those in that are in the liminal period---waiting on ordination.  To join, send an email including your date of birth, seminary, denomination, and name to ywwaiting@gmail.com.

Because we hope that women in the FYCW group will be eligible for membership in TYCWP once ordained, we seek members that can reasonably expect ordination by the age of 35.

Future Young Clergy Women join with members of TYCWP for the preaching conference and any in-person meet-ups. Only the on-line communities are separate.

This group is moderated by two board members: Laura Stephens-Reed and Patricia Watson.
  

The Board

Board TYWCP, originally uploaded by youngclergywomen40.

The Board of The Young Clergy Women Project is currently comprised of seventeen young clergy women. There are two sub-groups to the full board. The editorial board is primarily responsible for the e-zine Fidelia's Sisters Board members include:

Front (left to right)

Katherine Willis Pershey, California, Disciples of Christ
Ann Bonner-Stewart, North Carolina, Episcopal Church, USA
Elsa Peters, Maine, United Church of Christ
Sarah Kinney Gaventa, Virginia, Episcopal Church, USA
MaryAnn McKibben Dana, Virginia, Presbyterian Church, USA
Kate Smanik-Moyes, Pennsylvania, Presbyterian Church, USA

Back (left to right)

Stacey Midge, New York, Reformed Church in America
Alexandra Hendrickson, Illinois, Presbyterian Church, USA
Erica Schemper, Illinois, Presbyterian Church, USA

Not Pictured:
Katie Yahns, New York, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Susan Olson, (convener), Connecticut, Presbyterian Church, USA

Newly elected (and not yet pictured) members of the community board will take responsibility for the interactive aspects of our community life. These members include: Amy Avery, Reformed Church in America, Ohio
Jennifer Creswell, Episcopal Church, USA, Oregon
Stephanie Johnson, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Virginia
Susie Schaeffer, Episcopal Church, USA, Michigan
Laura Stephens-Reed, Baptist, Alabama
Leah Vasey-Saunders, Anglican, UK
Patricia Watson, United Methodist Church, Maryland
Kate Smanik-Moyes, Presbyterian, Pennsylvania, will serve on both sub-boards.