Three Women, Three Ministries

Visit the Conference website at www.la-umc.org VOL. 14, No. 4 BAtoN RoUge, LA JULY 26, 2013 Three women, three ministries CNN Hero / 2 Haiti Response / 4-5 Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, Episcopal leader for the Louisiana Annual Conference, ordains Rev. Betsy Eaves as an elder in full connection on June 4, 2013 at First United Methodist Church in Shreveport, La. Rev. Carole Cotton Winn, Betsy’s mentor, lays hands on the ordinand’s shoulder during the liturgical act. They are joined by Rev. William Peeples. Photo by Brian Lewis Photography. Three United Methodist women clergy share ‘firsts’ Mexico LAVIM / 6 BY BETTY BACKSTROM “Before I even knew Carole Cotton Joyner had stepped through a door in Winn, she was my mentor,” said Bishop 1939 that closed behind her to any other 7 B 5 Bishop Cynthia Fierro Harvey, 0 2 a Harvey, who was, in part, endorsed for women seeking ordination. 8 7 Episcopal leader for the Louisiana t o 0 the episcopacy by the South Central It was not until the vote of The N n 2 Annual Conference, ordained Rev. Betsy o - Jurisdictional Women’s Leadership Team. Methodist Church at General Conference R 5 r Eaves as an elder in full connection on t o 7 h “Carole’s long standing leadership in the in 1956 that women were allowed to be u 0 June 4, 2013. Rev. Carole Cotton Winn, B g 0 jurisdiction was significant and I had fol - accepted as candidates for ordained min - e l Betsy’s mentor, laid hands on the ordi - v , d lowed her career with interest.” istry in The Methodist Church, clearing L nand’s shoulder as a blessing during the . A liturgical act. Cotton Winn’s service as an ordained the way for Cotton Winn to work toward Ordination is held in Louisiana at elder began 42 years ago in June of 1972. and receive ordination. “I felt a strong annual conference every year. As with Prior to that event, she had been ordained calling to be an advocate and mentor for this year, the worship service is usually as a deacon in 1970. those early women who were also knock - held at First United Methodist Church in Going before her in ordination in ing on the door of ordination in the con - Shreveport. This particular event, howev - Louisiana was Rev. Lea Joyner, who was ference,” she explained. er, was unique in that the first candi - ordained in the Methodist Protestant Years after her ordination, while serv - date—a woman—ordained by Church in 1939. That was the year of the ing on the Louisiana Conference Board Louisiana’s first woman bishop was men - uniting of The Methodist Protestant of Ordained Ministry, the parents of one Church, The Methodist Church South female candidate thanked Cotton Winn U P tored by the first woman ordained in the N . R and The Methodist Church North. Only for speaking up for young women. e S o P Louisiana Conference. o R . B N the Methodist Protestant conferences “During an interview with that candidate, P U m A A This fairly remarkable coincidence is - o P g t i were ordaining women at that time. The one of the ministers asked their daughter t S R o accompanied by other circumstances i e d # t o vote during the union of the three what she would do if she should get mar - N , A which make the story even more interest - L 5 f g Methodist denominations was to deny A 7 i t ing. 5 e any further ordinations of women. Rev. See Three Women, page 8 2 Louisiana Conference Now! JULY 26, 2013 ON THE JOURNEY Reflections from the backside of annual conference It has been a little over a month since Week with cabinets, what was before us – cabinet meeting in Vision and Core Values (on the confer - the 43rd session of annual conference. lay leaders and board Lake Charles. Typically the cabinet meets ence website at http://www.la- I was very anxious about annual con - of ministry leaders in Baton Rouge or at the Wesley Center umc.org/pages/detail/1884), but might I ference but your hospitality provided a from across the juris - but we are trying something new. We are remind you that even the greatest vision sense of calm at a very anxious time. You diction. It was a fan - meeting in the districts and setting aside and core values are but a clanging symbol were so incredibly welcoming and tastic week. We spent time one evening to meet with clergy and if we are not faithful to the deep call we embraced Dean, Elizabeth and me with time exploring the cul - laity. We led with the question,“What each share. the love I have grown to know is part of ture of call and the would you have to do to live out the your DNA. The opportunity to meet with changes we are experi - vision and preferred future?” We had a Deep Call clergy, laity, extension ministers, retirees, encing as a denomina - great conversation--learning, living and You are the God who makes extrava - local pastors and associate members was a Bishop Cynthia tion. We are moving telling the gospel story. We will be com - gant promises. gift. I was finally able to put faces and Fierro Harvey from a pipeline way of ing to a district near you very soon. Our We relish your great promises names together. And friends, I am blessed calling our leaders to hope is to be in each of the districts prior of fidelit,y beyond measure. more of an ecosystem which is much less to Annual Conference 2014. and presence, After annual conference I travelled to linear, influenced greatly by our surround - (seehttp://www.la- and solidarity, Houston for the graduation of my best ings, and requires much greater respon - umc.org/pages/detail/1899) and we exude in them, friend's daughter and spent the weekend siveness. .and I might add, creativity, to I was reminded on the golf course last Only to find out, always too late, with old friends. As much as I enjoyed the way we call clergy and laity to life week that sometimes you cannot see that your promise always comes being with you, it was nice to be in a place and work in our churches. where you are going. As I hit from the in the midst of a hard, deep call to where I could just be "Cynthia," attend a I had the privilege the following week - tee, most of the time, I could not see the obedience. graduation party and visit with my four end to preach at First Grace in New pin. I had to trust the outline of the golf You are the God who calls people like year old friend who was just interested in Orleans. It was the BOMDDIGGITY! I course on my score card and markers us, and the long list of mothers and sitting in my lap, reading books and play - felt as though God’s kingdom had come along the way to tell me the distance to fathers before us, ing. She does not care that I am a bishop on earth as in heaven. the pin. I also learned, yet again, that not who trusted the promise enough to or whether I am following parliamentary Some people think that things slow only did I have to have the right club but keep the call. procedure. She was just interested in down after annual conference but it was - when I take my eye off the ball, I am like - So we give you thanks that you are a "being" with me and I with her. n’t until July 4th week that I was able to ly to miss it completely and can even calling God, A few days later I had the privilege of catch my breath. I had not picked up a leave a giant divot on the course, damag - who calls always to dangerous and preaching the opening session of the Rio golf club in many years but we spent three ing the course. I truly feel the Spirit mov - new places. Grande Annual Conference. It was like glorious days playing golf. Granted, I am ing among us and leading us to greater We pray enough of your grace and being with family and old friends, not a very good golfer (it might even be a things. But we must stay focused, keep mercy among us although I knew few of them. I preached stretch to call myself a golfer) but loved our eye on the ball, read the markers that we may be among those in "Spanglsih," drawing from my past and spending time with Dean. We surprised around us, choose the right club and do who believe your promises enough honoring the legacy of so many who have ourselves! I had time to breathe in all that our best not to create too much damage to respond to your call. paved the way for someone like me to be God had provided the weeks before. I along the way. It is ok to miss the ball We pray in the one who embodied your able to serve as a bishop in the United realized that in the midst of the calendar, I every once in a while and make a mistake, promise and enacted your call, even Methodist Church today. They were wel - had gone from one thing to another and but next time you step up to the tee, you Jesus.

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