Women in Ministry

During the month of May, the Adult Forum focused on women in ministry, particularly the women who have served at St. Mark. We talked about some hard truths about how women were treated in the late 1970’s when the Lutheran Church began ordaining women.  Despite the wider Lutheran church ordaining women, the women were not always given the same or equal responsibilities that their male counterparts were given.

St. Mark has called three women to serve as pastors; Pastor Nancy Feniuk-Nelson, Pastor Carolyn Fredrikson, and myself. St. Mark had an interim female pastor for a time, Pastor Francis Olson. Of the three women who were called to serve at St. Mark, only two have served under the title of senior pastor; Pastor Carolyn Fredrikson and myself.  I served under the associate pastor title for three years before the call to serve as senior pastor, where Pastor Chad and I are co-pastors. 

The reason I wanted to talk about the experience of the women who have served at St. Mark is because I have experienced some uncomfortable comments from folks. And comments that made me feel like I was less of a pastor, because I am a woman.  No matter the gender of the pastor, the ordination rite and the promises made during ordination are the same.  Every pastor is charged to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance, and gentleness. We are charged to tend the flock of God and to be servants of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries.  I take the promises I made and the charges I received during my ordination very seriously. 

I am grateful that St. Mark is a church that values women in ministry. St. Mark is not perfect, but they are willing to listen, learn, and grow. I know it is difficult to face the hard truths of the past and present, but this is how we grow and improve.  I am confident that St. Mark can be an example of how to intentionally be equitable, no matter the gender of the pastor. 

Yours in Christ, 

Pastor Katrina Steingraeber