To mark International Women’s Day (8 March), we celebrate the continuing rise of women called to ministry and other leadership roles within the church.

We spoke to three female clergy in the diocese about their path to ordination, their ministry, and how they would inspire the future generation of female leaders.
 

The Revd Dr Moni Babatunde, Associate Minister, St Andrew’s Church Cobham

I have always worshipped at St Andrew’s and served in various roles including a safeguarding officer, a member of the PCC, and as a churchwarden. Working as a churchwarden really opened my eyes to the people in the church and how to walk alongside them. It was around that time that my vicar asked me to consider ordained ministry. He saw leadership qualities in me that I hadn’t necessarily noticed in myself.

Now that I am a priest, I am attuned to seeing those leadership qualities in others and recognising the various gifts that people can contribute to the life of the church.

In the diocese, women are well represented in ministry, in fact when I did my training through the Local Ministry Programme (LMP), my cohort was majority female. We also have 3 female priests at St Andrew’s. We all work well as a team, but we are able to bring different qualities and styles of preaching.

There are so many strong women who have inspired me in my life, but my main role model is my mother. She is a strong character and a Godly woman who has inspired my faith.

As a female leader and a mother, I probably do minister in a different way from a man. I really enjoy the pastoral side and my instinct is to nurture. My daughter calls me a ‘fixer’ but I have learnt in ministry that I am not there to fix people’s problems. Rather, I need to walk alongside them, help them see where God is in that moment.

For other women considering any type of ministry, I would say ‘go for it’. It is rewarding beyond description.

The Revd Sophie Lovesmith, Associate Minister, St Paul’s Church, Camberley

Growing up in a family of four girls, I was in an environment where we were empowered by my parents to bring our whole selves. International Women’s Day is an opportunity to cheer women on, to encourage & empower those who feel their voice is not yet heard or their gifting not yet recognised.

Throughout my life I have been supported and empowered by my community, a community that built me and others up to exercise our gifts in leadership and service.

When I was exploring my calling, I was inspired by strong female role models including two of my friends who always remained true to themselves when they were ordained. They were authentic and passionate about Jesus. God uses that.

I have very occasionally faced the odd power struggle, but I am pretty robust from having such a strong upbringing and friends around me. I previously encountered someone whose theology meant he didn’t agree with female ordination, but I was encouraged to learn that after ministering together in a team, he recognised that women can be called to lead.

My first vocation is my family, and while having very young children can be exhausting, every day they show me God. Changing a nappy one minute and then preaching the next is very humbling.

Women can often suffer from 'imposter syndrome', but if you truly feel a calling to ordination, I would advise that you remain secure in your identity in Jesus, root yourself in Jesus so that his voice is strongest in your life.

The Revd Ellen Turtle, Associate Vicar, St Anne’s Church, Bagshot and Area Dean, Surrey Heath

I wish we didn’t need a special day to celebrate women, but we are still underrepresented, so this day is an opportunity to celebrate the possibilities for women and be inspired by what others have achieved.

  I was blessed to see women at the front of the church from a young age, with a friend of my family’s being one of the first group of women to become an ordained priest in the 1990s. In my sending church, there were female curates and LLMs, so I had lots of female role models which helped me realise that I too could exercise my leadership gifts.

I didn’t face any barriers to my ordination like some of my peers. I’ve even encountered people who oppose female ordination on theological grounds but have still been gracious and supportive of my ministry. One elderly church member wouldn’t take Communion from me but would always give considered and positive feedback on my ministry. Not long before he died, he decided to accept Communion from me which was a lovely moment.

Some of my peers however have unfortunately faced stereotypes including assumptions that their main gift will be pastoral care, while some female incumbents I know have faced congregants who always defer to their male curates.

Speaking to those who have faced challenges has made me realise how difficult it can be to realise your calling if you don’t see it modelled in others like you. That goes for women, people with disabilities and people of colour too. I feel privileged that I can model female leadership to others.

I have had lots of positive female role models in the church but another strong female who inspires me is Michelle Obama. She graciously took the second seat to her husband, was very supportive during his presidency, but spoke up when she needed to and used her voice effectively.

For women exploring their calling to ordained ministry, remember that we all have unique gifts and challenges- some but not all will be because you’re a woman. Be ready to use the unique gifts God has given you.