ALLELUIA! This saturday, South Bend, Indiana

No it's not a Notre Dame game, it's my ordination!!!  Some of you know from my profile that I am in seminary to be a priest in the Episcopal Church and The Episcopal church will actually be ordaining me this Saturday.  I have waited five years, been though examining committees, discernment groups, commission of the diocese and the bishop not to mention three years of seminary here in Tennessee.  Finally it is happening and I am so excited, and nervous.  It's such a big day. If you are th praying type, think of me this Saturday and the big change for me! Thanks Rachael Episcopalians call their priests Father like Roman Catholics, but our priests can be married and obviously female too.  I don't like the female title 'Mother' as it seems odd to be "mother Rachael"  so...just call me Father Rachael !!!  

Rachael I'm all for women Christian leaders.  God's richest blessings on you on Saturday.  May He give you His wisdom and discernment in your pastoring of His church (people).  May He fill you with His Spirit and may He give you His guidance. Ruth

Thanks! Where'd your picture go??

I'm in the process of trying to update it!  But whereas I found it easy to do before, photobucket has changed so I'm having trouble making the picture avatar size. Any advise gratefully received

Congratulations!!!!!  It is a big day for you!!!   I'm a Reverend and was certified through my church (which is non-denominational) last year, also after years of study and preparation.  So I'm technically Rev. Traci. 

Rev. Traci...hmmm... interesting. Our liturgy professor tried to 'instruct us' on the whole reverend thing.  I think we could all tell that this must be a personal pet peeve or personal crusade as I have never seen someone so adiment about the word reverend.   My formal written title will be "the rev. Rachael N. Evans" with my title in the parish to follow like: the rev. Rachael N. Evans, associate priest.  But, under no cir****tances am I to be called Rev. Rachael as our professor states " reverend is an adjective, not a noun and thus should not replace a noun (your name) nor be capitalized as a noun."  Father, mother, pastor, brother, sister, Rachael, Mrs. Evans--all o.k.--Reverend Rachael not o.k. Interesting huh?

Interesting indeed and it must be a denominational specific teaching.     Being non-denominational (which is probably more accurately, inter-denominational), we do not have priests, nor do we call anyone, other than God, Father (other than our biological fathers, of course), so again, it's a denominational specific thing I believe.  One I can certainly respect.  So I am most definitely Reverend Traci.  I also have the title of mother; but not titled as clergy, but by my seven blessings from God. 

Some people see all the divisions of denominations as inherintly bad, but I can't change it so I've come to feel that these individual expressions of the same truth should only indicate to us the vast expanse of unknowable facets of God.  We kneel to pray and you probably put your hands in the air to pray, but I am certain that Jesus did both or it wouldn't be an option!

I agree!  I certainly do not know everything and will never know it all; but I do know this:  God is God of all.  Therefore, I do not put Him in a 'box'.  A box of our confinement to our ways of thinking and rules.  God hears our prayers no matter if we kneel, stand or walk.  The means by which we pray doesn't matter; as long as we pray.   There are many historical reasons why we have the differing denominations, but to sum it up - it's because people are different.  God is omnipresent - so he's just as present in my church as he is at yours or any other denominations, and he hears all prayers, regardless of method of delivery.   

I think its great that women are now in the pulpit.  My husband runs sound at a church that has a methodist minister.  She is very dynamic and a good speaker. Congratulations!!!