Mentors and Manure-spreaders

Article by Rev Jenny Potter, who is in placement at Congregations of the Central Western Qld UCA

Did you know that it is entirely possible to study theology and not have to become a minister? Unless, of course, God is planning a bait and switch!

Somehow or other I’ve ended up in church leadership. It was never the plan, but there was an irritating, repetitive sense of God’s call. This was not helped by a number of people who I will dub mentors and manure-spreaders - they can work out who is which. I can’t pick just one, because my formation as a Christian and as a minister wasn’t the work of a moment. It took a lot of positive examples of women in church leadership and heaps of rich fertiliser over decades. I’ve picked only a few key women in my journey into leadership.

Rev Kaye Ronalds. Kaye was my congregational minister in Yeppoon. She gathered me into the congregation when I moved there to take up work and gave me opportunities to be involved in the music team, reading, and being on Church Council. She has been my guru of pastoral care since I watched her care for my father-in-law leading up to his death. She was also a trail-blazer in church leadership as the first (and only) woman Moderator in Queensland and an encouragement for me to try my wings. When I was considering ministry, my late husband looked to Kaye’s husband, Owen, as an example of what life might be like as a “minister’s husband”. She encouraged me to consider ordination. Our paths crossed again as she became the minister of the church on the Granite Belt and my supervisor as I finished up my field placement year. I have benefitted from her wisdom at some really tough times in ministry when I needed someone to de-brief with or consider future options. I am amazed at her ability to constructively summarise a conversation.

Rev May Morris. During May’s ministry in the Warwick/Killarney parish I was exposed to and encouraged to explore contemplative spirituality for the first time. In this ‘stream of living water’ I found sustenance for life and ministry, even when sometimes I found the source outside the Uniting Church. She was also one of those who encouraged me towards leadership: as an elder, learning to preach, and in my Period of Discernment (although she’d retired by the time I finished my PoD). She also encouraged me to become a Pastor in my local congregation and I worked alongside of her, getting an inside view. She took the time to nurture and train me in taking funerals (I’d never even attended a burial!).

Mrs Jean Reid was my senior Maths II teacher and had been part of the church I attended throughout high school. When I returned to Warwick as an adult it was hard to call her “Jean”, but we ended up elders, on worship committee, bible studies and preaching plans together. She was one who first suggested becoming a pastor in our local congregation and we served together, particularly during a time between ministers.

Mrs Joan Meston was one of the supervisors of my small group when I undertook the Trinity College “Hospital Ministry and Pastoral Care Course”. Although she was not a Uniting Church member, she was working as one of two part-time UCA chaplains at the Toowoomba Hospital. She had a ruthless streak - pushing us out onto the wards on our first day in the hospital, and had a way of challenging us to go deeper in our pastoral practice. On graduation day, she caught me and said, “I think you need to explore what God is calling you to.” It was fitting that she was appointed mentor for my Period of Discernment, which took seven years. It was deeply meaningful that she was able to attend my induction as Toowoomba Hospital Chaplain only months before her death.

Mrs Sharon Kirk. The ancient monk Pachomius’ life rule was: “avoid bishops and women”. He used to hide whenever the bishop was around so he didn’t end up ordained. While we don’t have bishops in the Uniting Church, Sharon was a Presbytery Minister and a woman - I should have taken the warning! Sharon invested time in talking to me deeply about ministry, encouraging and supporting me to “have a go” as a member of Presbytery and Synod, as a Pastor, as a delegate to Assembly, and in supply stints around the Downs. She also put the call right out there - she made no secret of the fact she thought I was called and asked how long was I going to put it off!

I would like to honour the above women who have all been significant in helping shape my growth and development in ministry.