Those paths that once made the way so clear, the seminarian-to-associate-to-head-of-staff paths have begun to crack (some might even say crumble.) As those seminarians step from the classroom they’re finding other trails – some muddy, some hidden, some that haven’t even been revealed yet. They lead to counseling centers where clients cry out for the Spirit and to taverns where friends fellowship at tables over bread & beverages... sound familiar? These ministers are finding it necessary to supplement their ministerial incomes by brewing coffee or substitute teaching or even returning to the careers they swore they had abandoned – all for the chance to supply preach at the fifteen member church forty-five minutes away. They don’t have to. But they do. Why, you ask? Because they are called. Lady Church lives among them and she smiles at their freedom. Yes, the Church is alive.
Think what you will, say what you want – it appears as though Lady Church has given us every reason to believe that she dying. Just weeks ago as seminary presidents and elected church representatives gathered for the November meeting of the PC(USA) Committee on Theological Education, the statistics spoke a clear picture:
“Half of PC(USA) congregations are no longer served by fulltime theologically trained ministers.”
“Two-thirds of the congregations in my home presbytery cannot afford full time pastoral ministers.”
At this very moment, 2156 ministers are seeking a call, while there are only 559 open positions for them to fill.
It did not take long for our committee to arrive at the obvious question: for what kind of church are we preparing our seminarians? If the simple laws of supply and demand are shouting: “TOO MANY PASTORS!!! NOT ENOUGH CHURCHES!!!” then why do we continue to admit, financially support, and educate people young and old who claim that God has placed a call upon their lives to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament.
Because, friends – God has placed a call upon their lives to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. It just doesn’t look like it used to. The Church is alive; she’s just rearranging the furniture a little. While the paths from seminary were once laid in solid rows from classroom to pulpit, recently they’ve begun to wind a bit more – and Lady Church has decided to seek opportunity outside the stained glass windows. Forget the wood paneled walls and the antique desk lamp, Lady Church is not always found in her office anymore. In fact, she’s taken to spending her mornings at the coffee shop: Calvin on her Kindle and Indigo Girls on her IPOD. Jesus told her life was more interesting on the road.
Not all of the straight paths to the pulpit are gone – not at all. There are places where the fulltime, theologically trained, well paid pastor continues to thrive – and Lady Church tips her hat. However, she must admit that these new places and faces bring her such a particular joy. Perhaps it’s because they bring God joy and it is because they bring God joy they must not be ignored.
Lady Church is alive – alive with God’s mysterious Spirit that inspires her to open the doors and repaint the walls and breathe in the life that is going on because of her or in spite of her. Therefore, we owe it to Lady Church to pay attention to her life as we train the ministers who will soon step out onto those paths. Technology, diversity, creativity and ingenuity are all steps along the way. As theological institutions learn to walk the line between tradition and change, Lady Church is with them – her Blackberry in one hand and her Bible in the other.
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Kathy Wolf Reed is a member of the PC(USA) Committee on Theological Education. She is currently serving as a resident Chaplain at St. Thomas Hospital in Nashville, TN..
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