
Called to Serve
By Called to Serve

Called to ServeApr 25, 2023

Elizabeth Legassie
Elizabeth Legassie was ordained in 1976 and went on to pastor, counsel, and teach. She shares about her years of ministry experience in both Atlantic Canada and abroad, serving in Kenya with Canadian Baptist Ministries.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Lola Mather-Dyer
Lola Mather-Dyer was ordained in 1991 and she went on to serve as a pastor and chaplain in Atlantic Canada and Ontario. She shares about her call to rural church ministry, the importance of serving through listening and presence, and her impressions of Josephine Moore, the first woman ordained in the CBAC.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Judith Tod
Judith Tod was ordained in 1989 and went on to pastor at Kentville Baptist Church, work with refugee families, and serve as a chaplain in several communities. She describes some of the challenges she faced as a woman entering into ministry, such as her experience at examining council--and the influence of those who encouraged her along the way.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Gail Whalen-Dunn
Gail Whalen-Dunn was ordained in 1998. Gail describes some of the challenges she faced over her years of ministry, like how she balanced expectations around ministry and motherhood, and how she handled doubt when others questioned her call.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Maxine Ashley
Maxine Ashley graduated with her MDiv in 1970 and was later ordained in 1989. She has worked at three theological schools, including Acadia Divinity College, and continues to minister as part of a team of four retired pastors. Maxine shares about her frustration graduating seminary to find that positions for women were not widely available, but why she did later choose to pursue ordination.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Barbara Fuller
Barbara Fuller spoke with Taylor Adams last year at the CBAC's annual gathering, Oasis. Barbara was ordained in 1995. She shares about the experience of tragically losing her husband Gerry and how she went on to serve in ministry as a single mother. She talks about her ministry in Canada as well as overseas in Moldova and how her theology concerning women in ministry changed through experience.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Shirley DeMerchant
Shirley DeMerchant was ordained in 1998. She has served at Hosanna Presbyterian Church in South Korea, and has been senior pastor at Stevens Road United Baptist Church in Dartmouth. Shirley talks about her experience working overseas, the importance of team ministry, and how she's avoided making gender a divisive issue in church.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Christine MacDormand
Christine MacDormand was ordained in 1984. She describes her ministry over forty years, including planting a church in Pugwash, Nova Scotia. She also shares about the financial and social challenges she faced serving as a single woman in ministry and about some of the groups that influenced her outside the Baptist tradition.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Miriam Uhrstrom
Miriam Uhrstrom was ordained in 1985 and went on to serve as a pastor both individually and alongside her husband Karl. She shares their experiences going before the examining council and what it looked like to serve as a clergy couple. She also explains what studying music taught her about being a pastor and how she has been able to work well with others in spite of theological differences.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Twila Grosse - Special Guest Episode
This is a special week on the podcast as we are doing an episode swap with the podcast Atlantic Baptist Stories, another oral history project led by Dr. Maxwell. You can find out more about the project here: https://acadiadiv.ca/acbas/oral-history-project/
You will hear from Twila Grosse, a member of Cherry Brook United Baptist Church and past treasurer of the African United Baptist Association. Twila talks about her own church experiences, but she also shares about the experiences of her sister, the late Rev. Tracey Grosse, who was the first ordained female person in the AUBA and the first ordained woman of colour in the convention.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.

Kathy Neily
Kathy Neily was ordained in 1986 and went on to serve at Bedford Baptist Church and First Baptist Charlottetown. Kathy shares her story of being called and ordained to ministry, the challenges of balancing her call with parenting, and how she experienced God’s healing first-hand.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.

Sharon Budd
Sharon Budd was ordained in 1987 and in 2013 she retired from her long-term ministry at Melvern Square United Baptist Church. In this interview, Sharon emphasizes that for her, serving as pastor has been a very positive experience.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Sara Palmater
Sara Palmater was ordained in 1986. She recalls being present at the 1987 convention assembly when the group voted on whether to continue allowing women to go before the examining council. Sara also shares about the different shapes ministry can take and the importance of living out her calling regardless of the circumstances of life.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Joyce Hancock
Joyce Hancock was ordained in 1987. She served as director of Christian Education at First Baptist Dartmouth as well as a missionary overseas in Indonesia and Brazil. Today she works with NorthWind Family Ministries in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Joyce speaks about her ministry to Brazilian youth living on the street, some of the challenges and advantages of serving as a single woman, and how she’s been mentored and encouraged by the support of other women in ministry.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Ida Armstrong-Whitehouse
Ida Armstrong-Whitehouse was ordained in 1976 and went on to pastor several churches, as well as serve in chaplaincy. In this interview, she describes some of the changing attitudes she faced over the years serving as a woman in ministry.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Heather McGregor
Heather McGregor was ordained in 1994 and went on to serve as a hospital and nursing home chaplain. In this interview with me, she describes the particularly challenging experience she had going before the examining council on her road to ordination, and the contributions she made towards improving that experience for future ordination candidates.
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.

Trailer
Called to Serve is a new podcast featuring the stories of women ordained by churches within the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada. Between 1950 and 2020, over one hundred women were ordained to ministry in Atlantic Baptist churches and around the world. Our project shares and preserves these women's experiences--the joys and challenges they faced, and the impact they've made through their ministries.
Called to Serve is funded by a grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and is led by Rev. Dr. Melody Maxwell of Acadia Divinity College. Learn more at calledtoserve@acadiau.ca.